THE  MAGYARS 
IN  AMERICA 

D.A.SOUDERS 


.THE  MAGYARS 
IN  AMERICA 

D.  A.  SOUDERS 


THE   MAGYARS 
IN  AMERICA 


BY 

D.  A.  SOUDERS 

SUPERINTENDENT    OF    IMMIGRATION    OF    THE    REFORMED 
CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


WITH  AN   INTRODUCTION   BY 

CHARLES  HATCH  SEARS 


NEW  SfJUr  YORK 
GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


*  \ 


COPYRIGHT,    1922, 
BY  GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA.       II 


PRINTED  IN  THE   UNITED  STATES   OF  AMERICA 


INTRODUCTION 

The  New  American  Series  consists  of  studies  of 
the  following  racial  groups,  together  with  a  study 
of  the  Eastern  Orthodox  Churches: 

Albanian  and  Bulgarian,  Armenian  and  Assyrian- 
Chaldean,  Czecho-Slovak,  Greek,  Italian,  Jewish, 
Jugo-Slav  (Croatian,  Servian,  Slovenian),  Magyar, 
Polish,  Russian  and  feuthenian,  or  Ukrainian,  Span 
ish  (Spaniards)  and  Portuguese,  Syrian. 

These  studies,  made  under  the  auspices  of  the  In- 
terchurch  World  Movement  were  undertaken  to 
show,  in  brief  outline,  the  social,  economic  and  re 
ligious  background,  European  or  Asiatic,  of  each 
group  and  to  present  the  experience — social,  eco 
nomic  and  religious — of  the  particular  group  in 
America,  with  special  reference  to  the  contact  of  the 
given  people  with  religious  institutions  in  America. 

It  was  designed  that  the  studies  should  be  sympa 
thetic  but  critical. 

It  is  confidently  believed  that  this  series  will 
help  America  to  appreciate  and  appropriate  the 
spiritual  wealth  represented  by  the  vast  body  of 
New  Americans,  each  group  having  its  own  peculiar 
heritage  and  potentialities;  and  will  lead  Christian 
America,  so  far  as  she  will  read  them,  to  become  a 
better  lover  of  mankind. 

^The  writer,  in  each  case,  is  a  kinsman  or  has  had 
direct  and  intimate  relationship  with  the  people,  or 
group  of  peoples,  presented.  First-hand  knowledge 
and  the  ability  to  study  and  write  from  a  deeply 
sympathetic  and  broadly  Christian  viewpoint  were 
primary  conditions  in  the  selection  of  the  authors. 


5324H71 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

The  author  of  this  volume,  Rev.  D.  A.  Souders, 
D.D.,  first  became  interested  in  the  Magyars  when 
he  was  made  pastor,  in  1891,  of  the  First  Reformed 
Church,  Irwin,  Pa.,  in  a  county  where  25  languages 
were  spoken.  He  became  successively  a  member  of 
the  Synodical  Board  of  Home  Missions  in  1893, 
Superintendent  of  Missions  in  1903,  and  Superin 
tendent  of  Immigrant  Work  in  1909,  his  interest  in 
the  Magyars  and  work  among  them  growing  with 
the  years.  His  regard  for  them  as  a  people  and  his 
success  in  work  writh  them  led  to  his  selection  as  the 
writer  of  this  book. 

These  manuscripts  were  published  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  Interchurch  World  Movement  with 
the  cooperation  of  various  denominational  boards, 
through  the  Home  Missions  Councils  of  America. 

At  this  writing  arrangements  have  been  made  for 
the  publication  of  only  six  of  the  Series,  namely, 
Czecho-Slovak,  Greek,  Italian,  Magyar,  Polish  and 
Eussian,  but  other  manuscripts  will  be  published  as 
soon  as  funds  or  advanced  orders  are  secured. 

A  patient  review  of  all  manuscripts,  together  with 
a  checking  up  of  facts  and  figures,  has  been  made  by 
the  Associate  Editor,  Dr.  Frederic  A.  Gould,  to 
whom  we  are  largely  indebted  for  statistical  and 
verbal  accuracy.  The  editor  is  responsible  for  the 
general  plan  and  scope  of  the  studies  and  for  ques 
tions  of  policy  in  the  execution  of  this  work. 

CHARLES  HATCH  SEARS. 


The  cost  of  publication  of  this  volume  was  guaranteed  by  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States.  Other  Boards  may  order  copies  from  the  PUBLICATION 
AND  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  BOARD,  Reformed  Church  Building,  Fifteenth 
and  Race  Streets,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  or  from  THE  CENTRAL  PUB 
LISHING  HOUSE,  2969-75  West  25th  Street,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


CONTENTS 

Part  I:  European  Background 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I    MAGYAR    HISTORY    AND    CHARACTER 
ISTICS  .13 

A  GENERAL  TREATMENT 

II    PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY      .  25 

(a)  Political  Situation 25 

(b)  Economic  Conditions       .        .       *        .  28 

(c)  Social  Conditions     .        .        .        .        .  29 

(d)  Religious  Conditions      ....  37 


Part  II:  The  Magyars  in  America 

III  IMMIGRATION      .               51 

IV  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA     ....  60 

(a)  Economic  Conditions       ....  60 

(b)  Social  Conditions     .        .        ...  65 

V    RELIGIOUS    CONDITIONS    IN    AMERICA  78 

AN   INTENSIVE   STUDY 

(a)  Church  Work  among  the  Magyars       .  78 

(b)  Magyar  Reformed  Churches  .               4  89 

(c)  The  Valley  of  Decision  ....  97 

(d)  Forms  of  Religious  Approach       .        .  107 

VI     SPECIAL   PROBLEMS 112 

(a)  Leadership      of      Foreign      Language 

Churches 112 

(b)  Forms  of  Religious  Break-up       .       .  117 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  VI   [Continued] 

(c)  Extra-church  Movement        .        .        .     119 

(d)  Pressing  Need  for  Magyar  Mission  Lit 

erature    .......     123 

(e)  Parish  Evangelism 125 

(f)  Religious  Education        ....     127 

APPENDICES 

I     Americanization  as     the     Foreigner 

Thinks  of  It 135 

II    List    of   Magyar  Publications   in   the 

United  States 138 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 143 

INDEX  147 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Reformed  Church  and  Parsonage,  Toledo,  Ohio  .       .       32 
Magyar  Church  of  Debrecszin,  Hungary     ...       32 

Village   Square   and  Protestant  Magyar  Church  at 

Turkeve,    Hungary 33 

Typical  Magyar  Ministers,  Father  and  Son  ...  64 

Magyar  Reformed  Singing  Club,  Toledo,  Ohio  .       .  64 

Magyar  Protestant  Orphans'  Home,  Ligonier,  Pa.    .  65 

Officers  of  a  Beneficial  Society,  Lorain,  Ohio     .        .  80 

Foreign    Mission   Pageant,    Magyar   Young   People, 

Bridgeport,   Conn 81 

Reformed  Women's  Society  at  Their  Business  Meet 
ing  96 

Night  School  Maintained  for  Adults  (Studying  Eng 
lish)  96 

Present  Building  of  Oldest  Magyar  Church  in  Amer 
ica,  Organized  May,  1890,  East  Side,  Cleveland, 
Ohio 97 

Congregation  at  Service 128 

Confirmation   Class,   Reformed   Church,   West   Side, 

Cleveland  ...  .128 

Daily  Vacation  Bible  School  of  Magyar  Presbyterian 

Church,  Philadelphia,  Pa 129 


PART  I:  EUROPEAN  BACKGROUND 


THE   MAGYARS 
IN  AMERICA 

Part  I:    European  Background 

Chapter  I 
MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS 

The  Magyars  came  into  Europe  from  Asia  some 
time  during  the  eighth  or  ninth  century.  They  be 
long  to  the  Ugro-Finn  branch  of  the  human  family 
and  are  thus  related  to  the  Chinese  and  Japanese. 
Their  only  relatives  in  Europe  are  the  Finns  and 
possibly  the  Esthonians.  Hungarian  tradition  says 
that  two  sons  of  Nimrod,  Hunyar  and  Magor  went 
hunting  in  the  Ural  Mountains  and  found  in  addition 
to  game  a  very  promising  outlook  for  conquest  in 
what  is  now  Russia.  They  got  their  father's  con 
sent  to  migrate  to  the  new  country  and  Hunyar  went 
westward  and  became  the  founder  of  the  country 
now  claimed  by  the  Finns  while  Magor  remained  in 
eastern  Russia  and  was  the  leader  of  the  people  now 
known  as  Magyars. 

Authentic  history  relates  that  these  people  mi 
grated  from  southeastern  Russia  into  the  plains  of 
Hungary  with  their  flocks  and  herds  in  one  great 
horde  of  a  million  souls  in  the  year  896  A.D.  under 
Arpad,  founder  of  Hungary's  first  dynasty.  Here 
they  made  a  place  for  themselves  which  they  have 
maintained  ever  since.  Having  come  into  the  most 

13 


14  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

fertile  part  of  Europe,  the  Alf old,  called  by  a  French 
writer  the  Jar  din  I) 'or,  the  garden  of  gold,  they 
abandoned  their  nomadic  life  and  became  herdsmen 
and  farmers. 

As  might  be  expected  from  their  origin  the  Mag 
yars  are  a  virile,  powerful  race.  They  are  such 
lovers  of  horses  that  there  is  a  proverb,  "The  Mag 
yar  was  created  on  a  horse. ' '  The  Magyars  of  this 
period  were  "trained  riders,  archers  and  javelin 
throwers  from  infancy."  In  the  70  years  follow 
ing  Arpad's  reign  (who  died  in  907),  the  Magyar 
horsemen  became  the  scourge  and  terror  of  Europe, 
ravaging  Germany  and  Bavaria  to  the  Rhine,  and 
Italy  as  far  south  as  Otranto.  Otho  I,  king  of  Ger 
many  and  later  founder  of  the  "Holy  Roman  Em 
pire,  "  in  955  proclaimed  them  "the  enemies  of  God 
and  humanity."  There  is  no  certain  connection  be 
tween  the  Hungarians  or  Magyars  of  this  period  and 
the  armies  of  Attila  that  devastated  the  Roman  Em 
pire  600  years  before,  though  the  territory  ravaged 
was  much  the  same.  From  these  incursions  into  the 
west  and  south  they  brought  back  booty  and  cap 
tives  who  all  unwittingly  to  their  captors  helped  to 
change  them  into  a  European  nation. 

Christian  missionaries. — The  Magyars  became  ac 
quainted  with  Christianity  about  A.D.  972  when 
their  duke,  Geyza,  married  a  Christian  princess, 
Sarolta,  of  Transylvania,  whose  father  had  been 
converted  to  Christianity  while  in  Constantinople. 
It  was  a  question  of  some  time  to  decide  whether 
the  Greek  or  Roman  Church  should  be  recognized, 
but  ultimately  Adalbert  missionaries  from  Ger 
many,  who  had  labored  earnestly  from  Wolfgang 
(917)  to  Geyza,  prevailed,  and  Geyza 's  son,  Viak, 
was  baptized  by  Adalbert  of  Prague  in  994,  and  was 
given  the  name  of  Stephan.  He  asked  for  the  rec 
ognition  of  the  Pope  and  was  crowned  by  Sylvester 
II  of  Rome,  A.D.  1001,  and  was  designated  by  the 


MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS      15 

Pope,  St.  Stephan,  "Apostolic  King  of  Hungary/' 
Since  his  day,  all  Hungarian  kings  are  crowned  with 
his  crown. 

Stephan  I. — Stephan  proved  himself  a  great  king, 
a  constructive  statesman  and  a  great  Christian,  and 
has  ever  been  the  great  idol  of  the  Magyar  people. 
First  he  changed  the  constitution  from  a  tribal  union 
to  a  kingdom.  Then  he  undertook  the  Christianiza- 
tion  of  the  people,  traveling  from  one  end  of  the 
country  to  the  other,  preaching,  baptizing,  and  or 
ganizing  governments. 

He  recognized  the  futility  of  conquests  in  the  west 
and  set  about  organizing  his  country  into  a  stable 
form  of  government.  In  this  he  followed  the  models 
of  western  nations,  subdividing  the  country  into 
counties,  establishing  bishoprics  and  founding 
churches,  convents  and  schools.  He  established  a 
national  council  of  lords  temporal  and  spiritual  and 
of  knights  of  a  lower  order.  Thus  he  gave  form  to 
the  national  assembly  and  prepared  the  way  for  the 
constitution  which  has  ever  since  been  the  mainstay 
of  the  Magyar's  civil  and  religious  life.  Fortu 
nately,  too,  his  successors  carried  forward  his  work 
with  a  reasonable  degree  of  fidelity,  so  that  the  na 
tion  became  more  and  more  affiliated  with  European 
life  and  ideas. 

Great  names. — There  are  other  great  names  of 
kings  in  the  Hungarian  history  besides  that  of  her 
first  great  " Apostolic  King,"  Stephan. 

There  is  Coloman  (or  Kalman),  the  Learned 
(1095-1114),  who  was  much  in  advance  of  his  times 
and  greatly  improved  the  laws;  Louis  I,  "The 
Great "  (1342-1390),  another  great  lawgiver.  John 
Hunyadi  (1387-1456),  "the  greatest  general  of  his 
age,"  called  "the  Eaven  Knight,"  because  he  had  a 
raven  with  a  gold  ring  in  his  beak  on  his  coat  of 
arms,  who  in  the  two  great  battles  of  Semendria  and 
Belgrade  saved  Europe  from  the  menace  of  Moham- 


16  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

medanism ;  and  his  son,  Matthias  (1456-1490),  re 
garded  by  many  historians  as  the  greatest  king  in 
Hungary's  history. 

But,  as  we  shall  see  later,  hoth  the  nobility  and 
common  people  have  furnished  reformers  and  lead 
ers  of  undying  fame. 

The  Golden  Bull. — There  is  no  written  constitu 
tion  of  Hungary.  This,  like  the  English  constitu 
tion,  is  the  product  of  laws  extending  over  a  series 
of  centuries.  The  first  written  document,  similar  to 
Magna  Charta  of  England  (1217),  is  the  Bulla  Aurea 
or  "Golden  Bull"  of  Hungary,  granted  by  King 
Andrew  II  in  1222  A.D.  The  immediate  purpose  of 
the  king,  no  doubt,  was  to  strengthen  the  authority 
of  the  Crown  against  the  encroachments  of  the  oli 
garchy  (Drage,  p.  271),  but  in  order  to  secure  what 
he  wanted  he  was  compelled  to  make  important  con 
cessions  to  the  nobles  and  lower  estates.  The  main 
provisions  of  the  Golden  Bull,  put  into  few  words, 
are  that  "  Breach  of  faith  on  the  part  of  the  sover 
eign  makes  rebellion  lawful"  (Drage,  p.  271).  True, 
the  Golden  Bull  has  been  violated.  It  has  been  sus 
pended  for  fear  of  the  people  and  at  best  it  was  a 
concession  to  the  nobles  rather  than  to  the  people 
themselves,  but  it  has  always  served  as  an  ideal 
toward  which  the  people  of  Hungary  has  strug 
gled. 

For  centuries  the  franchise  in  Hungary  was  lim 
ited  to  those  who  had  secured  privileges  through 
concession  of  the  king,  but  as  the  franchise  has  from 
time  to  time  been  enlarged,  the  provisions  of  the 
Golden  Bull  have  served  for  the  greater  freedom  of 
the  people  at  large. 

The  Crusades.— The  time  of  the  Crusades  is  the 
darkest  period  in  Magyar  history,  for,  during  that 
time  the  country  was  so  devastated  and  depopulated 
that  immigrants  were  invited  from  the  west  and  from 
the  Balkan  provinces  to  take  the  places  of  slain  and 


MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS       17 

captive  Magyars  and  so  were  sown  the  seeds  which 
have  ever  since  grown  harvests  of  serious  racial, 
religious  and  national  problems.  Hungary  had  been 
under  the  Arpad  dynasty  for  about  two  centuries, 
and  under  various  other  royal  families  for  two  cen 
turies  more.  Then  came  the  Crusades,  during  which 
time  the  contending  armies  in  turn  ravaged  the 
country.  Hungary  fed  the  famishing  Crusaders  on 
their  way  to  the  Holy  Land  and  protected  their 
broken  remnants  as  they  wandered  back. 

The  Magyars  were  not,  however,  left  in  undis 
puted  possession  of  the  land,  but  for  several  cen 
turies  they  were  subject  to  invasion  and  were  al 
ternately  under  the  influence  of  western  or  eastern 
civilization  according  to  the  power  of  the  invaders. 

It  suffered  one  invasion  of  the  Turks  after  an 
other,  until,  utterly  exhausted,  the  losses  of  Magyars 
in  Transylvania  were  so  great  that  they  invited 
Saxons  from  the  west  to  migrate  into  the  territory, 
and  encouraged  Eoumanian  herdsmen  from  the  east 
to  take  the  places  of  herdsmen  fallen  in  the  wars. 
At  the  same  time  many  people  who  fled  from  Turk 
ish  cruelty  in  the  Balkan  peninsula  remained  to  be 
come  part  of  the  Hungarian  population.  Thus  was 
introduced  the  racial  problem  which  has  perplexed 
the  Hungarian  government  ever  since. 

The  most  disastrous  of  these  invasions  was  that  of 
the  Ottoman  Turks  in  the  sixteenth  century  under 
Solyman,  "the  Magnificent/'  which  culminated  in 
the  battle  of  Mohacs  (1526)  and  resulted  in  the  di 
vision  of  the  country  between  the  Moslem  and  Chris 
tian. 

During  all  these  centuries  Hungary  rapidly  de 
clined  and  the  country  was  finally  divided  into  three 
parts.  Transylvania  became  the  refuge  of  the  Hun 
garians;  the  Turks  took  possession  of  the  central 
part  and  the  Austrians  secured  a  foothold  in  the 
western  provinces. 


IS  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

The  Hapsburgs. — With  this  division  of  territory 
came  the  fateful  rule  of  the  Hapsburgs  in  the  person 
of  Ferdinand  I,  who  was  elected  by  the  Hungarian 
Diet  in  December,  1526.  It  was  hoped  by  the  Hun 
garian  nobles  to  secure  help,  in  this  way  from  the 
tyranny  of  the  Turks,  but  they  were  grievously  dis 
appointed,  for,  too  often,  the  Hapsburg  rulers  saw 
in  the  Turk  a  help  to  keep  the  Magyars  from  assert 
ing  their  constitutional  privileges  and  exercising 
their  inherent  love  of  freedom,  so  the  Turk  was 
rather  helped  than  hindered  in  his  oppression  of 
the  Magyar  people. 

The  policy  of  the  Hapsburg  dynasty  was  declared 
to  be  to  make  Hungary  German,  Catholic  and  poor, 
and  according  to  their  well-known  motto  "Divide  et 
impera"  to  play  off  one  race  against  another.  She 
tried  to  carry  out  this  dictum  to  make  Hungary 
German,  but  failed;  she  tried  to  make  it  Catholic 
and  succeeded  in  part ;  she  tried  to  make  it  poor  and 
succeeded  but  too  well.  Austria  never  succeeded  in 
her  attempts  to  make  Hungary  a  province  of  Aus 
tria.  It  needs  to  be  emphasized  that  there  never  has 
been  an  Austro-Hungarian  Empire  but  a  Dual  Mon 
archy,  with  two  governments  and  one  king  and  a 
Federal  Parliament  representing  them. 

The  Reformation. — The  division  of  the  country 
helped  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  progress  of  the 
Reformation  in  Hungary.  The  Turks  still  held  the 
central  part;  two  pretenders  to  the  throne  of  Hun 
gary  held  the  rest;  John  Zapolya  the  east;  Ferdi 
nand  the  west;  both  contending  for  possession  of 
the  whole  country. 

During  their  struggle  for  supremacy  the  Refor 
mation  was  allowed  quietly  to  spread  as  it  caused 
no  disturbance.  It  took  possession  of  the  ground 
and  priest  and  congregation  compromised  with  each 
other.  In  1549  a  new  confession  was  drawn  up 
which  King  Ferdinand  accepted  and  confirmed.  The 


MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS      19 

first  persecutions  in  Hungary  were  not  by  Koman 
Catholics,  but  between  Calvinists  and  Lutherans, 
and  not  till  the  Jesuits  returned  in  1577  did  the 
government  take  an  active  part  in  the  suppression  of 
the  new  faith.  The  Protestants  rose  in  revolt  led 
by  Prince  Bocskay,  of  Transylvania,  and  compelled 
the  king  to  grant  freedom  of  conscience  and  liberty 
of  worship  (1606),  and  these  articles  of  treaty  were 
incorporated  with  the  laws  of  the  land  by  the  Diet 
(1608).  When  the  king  made  an  attempt  to  cancel 
the  whole  treaty  he  was  deposed  and  his  brother 
Matthias  was  raised  to  the  throne.  The  state  of  the 
evangelical  churches  in  Hungary  remained,  however, 
very  uncertain  for  several  centuries,  till  in  1781  the 
Edict  of  Toleration  was  granted  by  Joseph  II.  This 
placed  Protestants  in  all  points  on  an  equal  footing 
with  Eoman  Catholics.  Eeligious  freedom  has  been 
maintained  ever  since. 

We  may,  however,  note  in  passing  that  the  variety 
of  religion  represented  in  Hungary  has  added  one 
more  factor  to  the  complications  of  the  inter-racial 
problem — since  the  Eoman  Catholics  have  been  in  a 
large  majority  and  in  closest  harmony  with  the  rul 
ing  house  of  Hapsburg;  the  Eastern  Orthodox  have 
held  tenaciously  to  their  faith  and  have  been  to  a 
large  degree  influenced  by  the  relation  of  church  and 
state  in  other  Eastern  Orthodox  countries;  and  be 
tween  them  the  Protestants  have  sometimes  been  a 
helpless  minority  and  at  other  times  have  held  the 
deciding  vote  in  parliament. 

Racial  agitation. — From  the  time  when  the  Haps- 
burgs  gained  a  footing  in  Hungary,  till  the  begin 
ning  of  the  World  War,  three  distinct  racial  agita 
tions  disturbed  the  peace  of  both  Austria  and  Hun 
gary.  First  came  the  effort  of  Austria  to  make 
Hungary  German  and  Catholic. 

Pan-Germanism. — This  continued  with  varied  de 
grees  of  intensity  from  century  to  century  till  the 


20  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

unsuccessful  revolution  of  the  Hungarians  in  1848. 
It  was  intensified  by  the  frequent  agitations  in  be 
half  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  It  was  further 
aggravated  by  the  fact  that  when  the  revolution 
promised  success  to  the  Hungarians  the  Austrian 
government  called  in  the  aid  of  the  Russian  Slavs  to 
subdue  the  Magyars. 

Pan-Slavism. — Since  the  Hungarians  already  felt 
the  pressure  of  the  Slavs,  both  north  and  south  of 
them  they  were  the  more  thoroughly  roused  and 
alert  to  scent  the  Pan-Slav  movement.  Here  again 
we  must  note  the  religious  factor,  for  allegiance  to 
a  nation  professing  the  Eastern  Orthodox  faith  in 
volves  also  allegiance  to  the  Eastern  Orthodox 
Church. 

Pan-Magyarism. — Under  such  circumstances  it  is 
not  strange  that  there  should  have  been  all  along 
a  strong  Pan-Magyar  movement  in  Hungary. 
Though  for  centuries  a  minority  of  the  population, 
the  Magyars  had  been  the  largest  single  nationalistic 
element.  They  had  been  the  most  aggressive,  most 
coherent  and  most  progressive  element;  and  by  all 
odds  the  most  masterful  in  administration  among 
the  diverse  elements  of  the  Hungarian  population. 
The  fears  which  agitated  them  have  found  confirma 
tion  in  a  remarkable  way  in  recent  historv.  Austria 
which  sought  to  rule  by  playing  off  tTio  Slav  against 
the  Magyar  has  been  dismembered  by  the  Slav  till 
only  one  province  remains  German.  And  Hungary 
by  the  same  influence  has  been  reduced  from  a  -popu 
lation  of  eighteen  millions  to  five  and  a  half  millions 
and  from  a  territory  of  109,216  square  miles  to 
24,605,  the  size  of  West  Virginia. 

The  Revolution  of  1848. — Three  names  stand  out 
prominently  in  this  effort  to  raise  the  people  to 
higher  standards  of  living  and  to  the  enjoyment  of 
greater  freedom :  Stephan  Szechenyi,  Francis  Deak 
and  Louis  Kossuth.  Szechenyi  was  of  aristocratic 


MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS      21 

lineage  but  sincerely  interested  in  the  welfare  of 
the  common  people.  He  was  a  member  of  parlia 
ment,  and  labored  faithfully  in  behalf  of  the  people 
both  in  and  out  of  parliament  for  15  years,  but  he 
sought  mainly  to  improve  their  living  conditions 
and  to  counteract  the  Germanizing  influence  of  the 
Court  in  Vienna,  without  aiming  at  any  constitu 
tional  changes.  Kossuth,  on  the  other  hand,  though 
also  of  noble  birth,  was  a  son  of  the  poorer  class  of 
the  gentry  who  support  themselves  by  their  own 
exertions,  and  so  was  in  touch  with  the  common 
people,  a  real  "commoner." 

After  1840  the  bulk  of  the  nation  and  especially 
the  small  gentry  whose  predominant  influence  was 
making  itself  felt  were  unwilling  to  follow  Szech- 
enyi,  and  became  ardent  followers  of  Deak  and  Kos 
suth.  These  men  felt  that  economic  reforms  were 
not  sufficient  without  a  modern  constitutional  gov 
ernment.  Kossuth  was  the  editor  of  a  newspaper 
and  when  the  Diet  in  1832  forbade  newspapers  to 
print  reports  of  its  deliberations,  Kossuth  wrote  out 
these  reports,  had  them  copied  and  distributed 
among  the  common  people,  and  when  the  govern 
ment  sought  to  bribe  him  to  silence  he  asserted  his 
independence  and  defied  the  government.  The  re 
sult  was  his  imprisonment  for  3  years,  during  whicE 
time  he  prepared  himself  by  the  study  of  English  to 
carry  Ms  cause  to  the  free  nations  of  the  west. 
After  being  released  lie  began  the  publication  of  the 
Pesti  Hirlap  (still  in  existence)  and  through  it  "elec 
trified  the  masses  who  were  always  rea3y  to  give 
their  unconditional  support  to  his  bold  and  far- 
reaching  schemes."1 

Magyar  characteristics.— Chief  and  most  promi 
nent  among  the  characteristics  of  the  Magyar  is  his 
intense  and  persistent  patriotism.  As  quoted  in  an 

1Vambery,  History  of  the  Hungarian  Revolution. 


22  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

article  published  in  the  Saturday  Evening  Post  of 
June  12,  1920,  he  dates  everything  back  a  "Thou 
sand  Years,'7  and  makes  this  a  basis  for  all  present 
and  future  nationalistic  endeavor.  His  patriotism 
has  all  the  faith,  fervor,  determination  and  hope  of 
a  religion.  In  fact  it  has  been  so  interwoven  with 
the  religion  of  the  country  as  to  be  almost  in 
separable  from  it.  The  question  springs  to  mind 
whether  his  patriotism  has  not  partaken  of  the  fatal 
ism  of  his  eastern  ancestors  and  the  predestination 
of  the  Calvinistic  religion  which  most  of  the  Protes 
tants  profess. 

It  was  aggressive  nationalism  which  won  them  a 
place  in  Europe;  that  found  expression  in  the 
Golden  Bull;  that  armed  them  against  the  Turk; 
that  again  and  again  thwarted  the  purposes  of  their 
Hapsburg  emperor-king;  that  inspired  the  revolu 
tion  of  1848;  that  upheld  them  during  the  dark 
period  from  1848  to  1867;  that  grave  purpose  and 
impulse  and  power  to  the  wonderful  development  of 
Magyar  government,  culture  and  life  during  the  last 
half  century;  that  now  maintains  them  under  the  un 
certainties  of  the  present  world  upheaval;  that  gives 
them  hope  after  defeat  in  war  and  the  threatened 
loss  of  66%  per  cent  of  their  country,  reducing  it 
from  109,216  to  24,605  square  miles. 

Temperly,  in  Westminster  Review,  January,  1908 
(p.  4),  says:  "The  Magyar  race,  none  admires  more 
intensely  their  virility,  capacity  and  energy,  their 
geniality  and  winsome  qualities  as  a  nation.  In  the 
region  of  politics  the  record  of  the  Hungarian  gov 
ernment  since  1867  is  full  of  great  achievement  suc 
cessfully  executed.  No  nation  has  had  more  fire  and 
vigor,  more  sturdy  love  of  independence,  etc." 

Magyar  assimilating  power. — Though  much  has 
been  said  recently  about  their  oppression  of  the 
lesser  nationalities  there  has  also  been  considerable 
willing  acceptance  of  Magyar  life,  manners  and  cus- 


MAGYAR  HISTORY  AND  CHARACTERISTICS      23 

toms  by  people  of  the  sub-nationalities.  Many  of 
these  may  have  done  so  for  preferment  at  the  Haps- 
burg  court  but  since  the  Hapsburgs  were  never  much 
liked  by  the  Magyars  there  must  be  some  other  ex 
planation.  It  provokes  a  Magyar  to-day  to  tell  him 
that  some  of  his  greatest  heroes  were  of  these  na 
tionalities.  Kossuth,  their  great  liberator  of  1848, 
a  true  Magyar,  was  the  son  of  a  Slav.  Petofi,  their 
poet  of  liberty  during  the  revolution,  was  also  of 
Slovak  ancestry.  "  Intermarriage  has  been  so  com 
mon  that  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  Magyar  who  has 
not  the  blood  of  one  or  more  of  the  sub-nationalities 
in  his  veins.  Those  whose  mother-tongue  is  German, 
Slav  or  Roumanian  enjoy  perfect  freedom  in  the 
use  of  their  idiom.  .  .  .  When  the  abolition  of  the 
privileges  of  the  nobility  overthrew  class  distinc 
tions  in  1848  all  those  who  had  received  a  good  edu 
cation,  of  whatever  nationality  and  rank  of  society 
became  Magyars  in  tongue  and  in  sentiment.  Even 
children  of  foreigners  recently  settled  in  the  coun 
try  have  become  Hungarians  in  the  first  genera 
tion."2 

On  the  other  hand  another  writer  says:  " Their 
Chauvinism  is  almost  a  disease,  although  sur 
rounded  as  they  have  been  by  enemies,  excessive  pa 
triotism  has  helped  save  the  race  from  extinction. ' ' 3 

Notable  achievements. — Among  the  notable 
achievements  of  the  Magyar  government  since  1848 

2  Delisle,  in  Hungary  of  the  Hungarians. 

Quotations  from  Delisle  are  given  prominence  because  he  is  a 
recent  English  writer  of  1914  who  seems  entirely  impartial.  In 
his  preface  he  writes  "Some  writers  have  sought  to  obtain  the 
goodwill  of  the  Hungarians  by  flattering  them  and  their  land. 
I  prefer  to  regard  the  Hungarians  as  a  people  too  magnanimous 
to  be  influenced  by  doubtful  means;  too  great  to  be  offended  by 
honest  criticism;  too  intelligent  to  resent  the  telling  of  a  truth 
when  sometimes  it  happens  to  be  disagreeable." 

8  Patterson,  Arthur  J.,  The  Magyars :  Their  Country  and  In 
stitutions,  p.  53. 


24.  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

may  be  mentioned  the  overthrow  of  class  privilege 
which  exempted  the  magnates  and  nobles  and  a  long 
list  of  professionals  and  clericals  from  taxation  and 
put  heavy  burdens  on  all  other  classes ;  the  reclaim 
ing  of  waste  lands  which  largely  increased  the  cul 
tivable  acreage  and  prevented  devastating  floods 
which  cause  loss  of  crops  on  the  farms  and  death  in 
the  cities  on  the  river  banks ;  improved  the  literacy 
of  its  people  from  1880  to  1890  as  the  accompanying 
table  shows : 

1880  1890 

Per  Cent  Per  Cent 

Germans 68.25  79.63 

Magyars  53.56  72.52 

Slovaks     39.27  60.36 

Servians 37.25  48.38 

Roumanians 11.01  23.88 

Ruthenians    8.64  17.78 

(Delisle,  Hungary  of  the  Hungarians,  pp.  213,  214.) 

created  a  labor  bureau  for  peasant  labor;  established 
accident  and  old  age  pensions;  created  a  building 
fund  for  peasant  homes  on  the  farms ;  and  more  re 
cently  (1912)  enlarged  the  franchise. 

Schierbrand.  recent  writer  (1917),  says  of  the 
different  races  in  both  countries,  "If  each  of  them 
could  but  contribute  to  the  general  life  his  best  quali 
ties  what  a  gain  that  would  be  to  Europe"  and  of 
the  Magyars  he  writes :  "  If  the  Magyar  would  con 
tribute  his  eloquence,  his  political  tact  and  skill  of 
administration,  his  poetical  and  dramatic  fire,  etc., 
what  a  gain  it  would  be !" 


Chapter  II 
PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY 

(A)    POLITICAL   SITUATION 

It  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  write  about  the  pres 
ent  political  situation  in  Hungary.  The  only  source 
of  information  is  a  series  of  pamphlets  published 
by  a  Commission  of  Protestant  Hungarians  to  The 
Hague  in  1919.  We  quote  at  length  from  one  of 
these  pamphlets  entitled,  "  Backgrounds  of  our 
Church  Crisis. "  Under  the  head  of  "Our  Country, 
Our  Churches  and  the  War,"  we  read: — "Our  na 
tion  was  not  even  in  her  interior  affairs  in  posses 
sion  of  her  full  sovereignty,  but  had  to  endure  the 
autocratic  tendencies  of  the  court  and  of  bigger  and 
smaller  political  bosses  subservient  to  the  lat 
ter.  .  .  . 

"Though  we  had  a  Parliament  performing  most 
constitutional  formalities,  this  Parliament  was  by 
its  origin  and  composition  but  a  parody  on  the  real 
feelings  and  intentions  of  our  people.  .  .  . 

"The  will  of  our  people  could  not  be  freely  ex 
pressed  at  elections;  ...  we  were  not  masters  of 
our  national  destinies  even  at  home,  not  to  speak  of 
those  abroad. 

"We  had  no  efficacious  check  whatever  on  the  con 
duct  of  the  forei.m  affairs  of  our  country.  The  only 
means  of  control  was  the  delegation  of  the  Hun 
garian  Parliament  before  which  the  foreign  min 
isters  or  their  representatives  appeared.  This  body, 
consisting  largely  of  Lords  and  high  officials,  met 
only  once  a  year  (if  it  met  at  all)  and  adjourned  at 

25 


26  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

the  end  of  a  few  days'  session  after  merely  deliver 
ing  some  prearranged  speeches.  Within  the  last  ten 
years  the  Court  managed  to  shut  off  from  our  coun 
try  all  adverse  criticism  of  her  own  policy. ' ' 

Then  came  the  World  War,  and  the  methods  of 
the  court  to  secure  the  help  of  the  Hungarian  na 
tion.  ' '  The  slogan  of  loyalty  was  given  out,  the  men 
drawn  to  the  colors  and  the  country  placed  under 
martial  law.  .  .  .  When  the  war  became  a  clear-cut 
issue  between  free  nations  and  autocracy  and  when 
the  men  in  the  ranks  had  time  to  ponder  over  the 
affairs  of  their  country,  .  .  .  many  went  over  to 
the  pretended  enemy  while  others  remained  only  be 
cause  of  a  sense  of  military  duty  and  loyalty  which, 
was  more  strongly  developed  in  them.  .  .  ." 

Effect  on  emigration  from  U.  S. — We  can  form 
some  idea  of  the  present  effect  of  the  political  sit 
uation  from  statements  of  Hungarian  pastors  and 
foreign-exchange  bankers  in  America.  The  former 
report  that  large  numbers  of  their  members  have 
gone  home  during  the  first  six  months  of  1920. 
Some  estimates  run  as  high  as-  20  per  cent.  For 
eign-exchange  bankers  do  not  keep  record  of  racial 
bookings  but  estimate  that  about  10  per  cent  of  the 
Magyars  in  America  will  go  home.  They  estimate 
further  that  most  of  those  going  are  from  Rou- 
mania  and  go  because  their  families  or  relatives 
need  their  presence  and  help. 

Unrest  in  America. — Since  the  Peace  Conference 
assigned  to  Czecho-Slovakia,  to  Jugo-Slovakia  and 
to  Eoumania  the  larger  part  of  the  territory  for 
merly  belonging  to  Hungary  many  of  the  Magyars 
in  the  dissevered  provinces  are  in  very  serious  and 
uncertain  situations.  These  write  to  their  relatives 
and  friends  to  come  to  their  aid.  This  causes  much 
unrest  among  Magyars  in  America.  In  every 
Magyar  colony  money  is  being  collected  for  the  aid 
of  their  families  and  relatives  at  home  and  in  many 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY         27 

instances  husbands  and  fathers  here  are  induced 
by  letters  from  home  to  return  for  their  protec 
tion. 

Present  indications  as  to  emigration  from  U.  S. — 
Letters  received  from  those  who  have  gone  home 
are  likely  to  stem  the  outgoing  tide,  for  more  fre 
quently  than  not  they  bring  information  of  great 
disappointment  and  severe  suffering  of  which  num 
erous  examples  might  be  given;  one  will  suffice. 

Mr.  Perzsotzy  of  Johnstown,  Pa.,  had  been  in 
America  for  fifteen  years.  During  this  time  he  had 
been  sending  home  money  regularly  for  the  support 
of  his  family  who  declined  to  come  to  America  be 
cause  the  children  were  getting  along  well  in  the 
schools  and  one  of  the  sons  was  a  student  for  the 
ministry  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  Mr.  Perz 
sotzy  became  an  American  citizen  and  hoped  to 
bring  his  family  over  with  him  so  he  returned  home 
early  in  1920.  He  found  his  son  disabled  and  his 
family  in  extreme  poverty.  To  make  matters  worse 
he  was  himself  arrested  and  is  now  in  prison  be 
cause  he  had  left  the  country  in  the  first  place  be 
fore  having  finished  the  term  of  his  army  service. 
His  experience  is  likely  to  deter  any  other  Magyars 
in  Johnstown  from  going  home. 

The  better  informed  Magyars  in  America  say  the 
result  of  present  conditions  in  Hungary  will  be  a 
very  large  migration  from  the  dissevered  prov 
inces,  and  that  unless  conditions  in  the  territory 
remaining  to  Hungary  improve  very  soon  the  only 
escape  from  intolerable  conditions  will  be  emigra 
tion  either  to  North  or  South  America,  and  that  the 
evident  preference  will  be  the  United  States. 

The  report  of  the  Commissioner  General  of  Im 
migration  for  1919  is  interesting  on  the  subject  but 
inconclusive,  there  being  reasons  for  emigration 
from  the  United  States  and  equally  strong  reasons 
to  expect  a  large  immigration. 


28  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

(B)    ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS 

The  economic  development  of  Hungary  has  taken 
place  within  the  last  fifty  years.  Hungary  by  na 
ture  is  deprived  of  several  factors  necessary  for 
economic  development.  She  is  largely  an  agricul 
tural  country;  she  had  only  a  very  small  seaboard 
before  the  war,  and  this  by  artificial  arrangement, 
and  has  none  now.  She  was  restricted  by  some  of 
the  conditions  of  the  Ausgleich  or  Compromise  of 
1867,  by  which  she  was  required  to  sell  her  agricul 
tural  products  under  free  trade  conditions  to  Aus 
tria  and  get  her  manufactured  products  from  Aus 
tria  under  trade  protection  to  the  latter. 

Government  aid. — The  present  government,  how 
ever,  is  wide  awake  to  the  economic  interests  of  the 
country  and  has  recently  passed  a  number  of  acts  to 
develop  the  economic  resources  of  the  country.  The 
government  welcomes  foreign  capital  for  the  pur 
pose,  and  offers  favors  and  concessions  to  foreign 
ers  to  locate  their  plants  in  the  country.  More  than 
500  such  firms  have  been  assisted  since  1902  and 
they  in  turn  have  found  employment  for  more  than 
15,000  Hungarians.  The  result  has  been  that  she 
has  secured  the  latest  discoveries  and  inventions  as 
applied  to  industry  and  has  in  return  secured  also 
a  large  number  of  trained  men  among  her  own 
people ;  the  government  making  it  obligatory  to  em 
ploy  Hungarians  whenever  such  can  be  secured. 
The  government  spent  no  less  than  $6,000,000  to  se 
cure  the  above  results. 

Industrial  schools. — A  number  of  industrial 
schools  have  been  established.  "  There  were  in  the 
year  1914  four  high  grade  industrial  schools, 
twenty-three  handicraft  schools,  one  industrial 
school  for  girls  and  five  artisans'  schools,  the  whole 
number  accommodating  18,500  pupils.  Besides 
these  there  are  460  apprentices'  schools  with  66,300 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          29 

pupils. "  The  progress  resulting  is  remarkable,  for 
in  1869  only  9.4  per  cent  of  the  workers  were  em 
ployed  in  industries;  in  1914  the  percentage  had 
risen  to  15  per  cent. 

Industrial  insurance. — There  has  also  been  legis 
lation  helpful  to  the  workers.  In  1891  a  law  was 
passed  requiring  all  factory  hands  to  become  mem 
bers  of  the  sick  fund  which  guaranteed  them  free 
medical  attendance,  medicine,  and  sick  pay,  as  well 
as  confinement  allowance  in  case  of  wives,  and  de 
frayment  of  funeral  expenses  at  death.  The  em 
ployer  paid  one-third  and  the  employee  two-thirds 
of  the  contribution.  This  was  changed  in  1907  so 
that  each  party  paid  one-half  of  the  contribution. 

Postal  Savings  Banks. — Post-office  Savings  Banks 
were  established  in  1886.  For  the  first  five  years 
they  were  not  popular  and  were  run  at  a  loss,  but 
since  then  they  have  become  a  safe  and  popular 
help  to  the  people  and  by  the  end  of  1911  they  had 
780,000  depositors  and  held  deposits  to  the  amount 
of  over  $24,000,000  for  the  year.  Other  institutions 
patterning  after  these  banks  swelled  the  amount  of 
deposits  to  almost  $600,000,000,  or  an  average  of 
about  $360  for  each  depositor.1  These  facts  about 
economic  conditions  are  mentioned  because  they 
have  an  important  bearing  on  the  customs  of  the 
Magyar  people  in  America  as  applied  to  thrift, 
economy  and  benevolent  cooperation. 

(c)    SOCIAL  CONDITIONS 

To  understand  why  there  has  been  so  large  a 
migration  from  Hungary  during  the  last  fifty  years 
we  must  study  the  social  as  well  as  the  economic 
and  political  conditions  from  which  this  migration 
sprang. 

1  See  Hungary  of  the  Hungarians,  Delisle,  pp.  254-270. 


SO  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Society  in  Hungary. — Society  in  Hungary  was  di 
vided  for  centuries  into  four  distinct  classes:  (1) 
The  magnates,  or  greater  nobles,  who  secured  their 
titles  and  their  estates  from  the  king  for  some  spe 
cial  service  rendered  in  times  of  storm  and  stress. 
They  have  been  therefore  more  closely  allied  with 
the  royal  court  in  Vienna  and  Budapest.  They  are 
even  charged  with  having  changed  their  language 
and  their  religion  in  order  to  be  in  favor  at  court. 
As  a  result  they  have  lost  the  favor  and  respect  of 
the  lesser  nobles  who  once  were  on  friendly  terms 
with  them. 

Nobles. — (2)  The  Nobles  are  the  landed  proprie 
tors  who  came  into  possession  of  their  titles  and 
estates  centuries  ago,  because  they  bore  arms  in  the 
conquest  of  the  land.  They  are  called  the  backbone 
of  the  country,  who  have  held  to  the  soil  through  all 
vicissitudes.  They  are  the  great  middle  class,  the 
progressive  class  in  Hungary,  and  are  noted  for  the 
sincere  and  liberal  hospitality  with  which  they  en 
tertain.  The  magnate  does  not  manage  his  farm; 
the  noble  is  proud  to  do  so  and  his  wife  shares  in 
the  duty.  He  supervises  the  work  on  the  field;  she 
takes  charge  of  household  affairs.  He  is  usually 
well  read  and  speaks  several  languages.  A  knowl 
edge  of  English  has  become  quite  common  among 
this  class. 

Peasants. — (3)  Next  come  the  peasants  or  farm 
laborers.  They  may  be  divided  into  two  classes: 
Beres,  or  those  employed  for  the  whole  year,  and 
the  Betyars,  who  serve  for  a  few  months  during  the 
busy  season.  The  former  are  considered  a  part  of 
the  family  and  are  usually  well  cared  for  and 
kindly  treated.  They  occupy  one  end  of  the  table, 
while  the  farmer  and  his  family  occupy  the  other. 

The  Betyar  or  occasional  farm  hand  does  not 
fare  so  well.  He  works  for  wages  and  these  are 
low  and  vary  in  amount  according  to  season.  The 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          31 

amounts  paid  in  1906  were  in  spring  time  34.4 
cents;  in  summer  53  cents;  in  autumn  37.8  cents, 
and  in  winter  26.4  cents,  being  an  average  of  37.9 
cents  per  day  or  $2.27  per  week.  Of  course,  this  in 
cluded  board  and  lodging,  but  both  were  of  the  plain 
est  sort.  The  result  was  low  standards  of  living, 
low  morals  and  the  least  desirable  class  of  farm 
labor. 

Tenant  farmers. — Another  class  of  peasants  are 
the  small  tenant  farmers.  Farms  in  Hungary  are 
either  very  large  or  very  small.  Four  classes  of 
farms  are  designated:  Dwarf  (from  1  to  5  acres), 
6.15  per  cent  of  the  arable  land;  small  (5  to  100 
acres),  48.77  per  cent  of  the  whole;  middle  (100  to 
1,000  acres),  14.22  per  cent  of  the  whole;  and  large 
(over  1,000  acres),  31.19  per  cent  of  the  whole. 
There  are  1,500,000  farms  averaging  2%  acres,  and 
4,000  averaging  4,630  acres.  Large  estates  include 
practically  all  the  forests ;  arable  land  is  much  more 
in  the  hands  of  small  proprietors  and  renters. 
More  than  half  the  arable  land  is  owned  by  small 
holders.  Middle  sized  farms  are  being  bought  up 
by  land  speculators  and  sold  in  parcels  at  exorbi 
tant  profit  to  small  holders  who  got  the  money  from 
friends  in  America. 

Tradespeople. — (4)  The  last  social  class  to  con 
sider  is  the  Tradespeople  of  the  towns,  and  the 
laborers  of  public  improvements.  The  former  con 
sists  largely  of  Germans  and  Jews,  for  the  Magyar 
is  not  remarkable  for  his  business  capacity.  At  any 
rate  he  is  not  a  match  for  either  the  German  or  the 
Jew,  which  two  nationalities  have  captured  the 
greater  part  of  trade  and  industry.  Many  Magyars 
were,  however,  driven  into  the  city  by  adverse  eco 
nomic  conditions  on  the  farms.  These  came  largely 
from  the  peasant  class,  who  sought  labor  at  better 
wrages  on  the  government  projects  of  reclaiming 
\vaste  lands  and  building  river  retaining  walls — a 


32  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

work  which  was  practically  completed  about  the 
years  1886  to  1889.  Their  only  resource  after  this 
was  in  the  factories  in  cities,  which  were  few  in 
number,  or  to  migration  to  America. 

The  government  was  not  blind  to  the  necessity  of 
keeping  its  peasant  population  on  the  farm,  but  for 
a  time  the  magnates  and  nobles  were  not  willing  to 
pay  the  price.  After  the  revolution  of  1848  the 
nobles  surrendered  many  of  their  ancestral  privi 
leges  for  the  common  good.  Among  these  was  the 
exemption  from  all  taxes  which  they  in  common  with 
the  magnates  enjoyed.  The  magnates  refused  simi 
lar  action  and  since  then  there  is  little  social  fel 
lowship  and  considerable  feeling  against  them  both 
by  the  nobles  and  the  peasantry. 

Farm  laborers. — It  was  the  custom  of  farm  labor 
ers  to  hire  out  in  groups  to  work  on  the  farms  near 
their  resident  villages.  There  was  no  permanent 
human  relation  between  them  and  the  land  owners 
for  whom  they  worked,  so  they  were  influenced 
more  and  more  by  labor  agitators  to  shirk  respon 
sibility  and  in  1890,  after  several  seasons  of  bad 
crops  which  prevented  the  land  owners  from  pay 
ing  the  demands  of  ever-advancing  wages,  there  was 
a  great  strike  of  farm  laborers.  In  1904,  about 
100,000  of  them  migrated  to  America  and  thousands 
of  others  went  from  the  country  into  the  city.  Then 
the  government  took  matters  in  hand  and  organized 
a  farm  bureau  that  could  furnish  10,000  farm  labor 
ers,  who  could  be  sent  wherever  needed,  i.e.,  strike 
breakers  under  government  control.  For  the  good 
of  these  laborers  the  government  furnished  reading 
matter  and  entertainment ;  revived  the  old  farm  and 
country  fairs  and  festivals ;  secured  better  housing, 
and  provided  a  sick  and  old  age  pension,  etc.2 

2  Booker  T.  Washington,  The  Man  Farther  Down,  pp.  92, 
93,  94,  95. 


REFORMED  CHURCH    AND   PARSON  AGE,    TOIJiDO,  OHIO. 


MAGYAR  CHURCH   OF   DEBRECSZIN,  HUNGARY 


. 


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PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          33 

The  farm  laborers  who  sought  work  in  town  and 
city  fared  little  better  than  their  fellow  countrymen 
who  remained  at  home.  For  a  time  the  government 
furnished  labor  on  projects  to  reclaim  marsh  land 
and  to  control  rivers  in  time  of  flood.  This  both 
furnished  labor  for  thousands  of  unemployed  men 
and  in  turn  secured  thousands  of  acres  of  land 
which  formerly  lay  waste.  This  work  was,  how 
ever,  practically  complete  by  1890,  so  the  men  em 
ployed  upon  it  were  set  free  to  seek  employment  in 
the  towns  and  cities  or  resume  the  quietness  of 
country  life  from  which  they  had  emerged.  The  re 
sult  was  a  glut  of  the  labor  market  in  the  city  and 
much  loafing  in  the  country.  Migration  to  America 
was  preferable  to  either. 

Housing  of  farm  laborers. — The  government  act 
of  1905  passed  by  recommendation  of  the  minister 
of  Agriculture,  Dr.  Daranyi,  provided  for  the  better 
housing  of  agricultural  laborers  which  is  worth  not 
ing.  It  provides  for  the  building  of  cottages  by  the 
government,  or  the  providing  of  the  material  at  cost 
for  such  buildings.  The  cost  of  material  varied 
from  $165  to  $185  per  cottage,  to  be  paid  back  to 
the  government  in  ten  to  fifteen  annual  payments; 
the  peasant  himself  to  erect  the  building.  Each  cot 
tage  must  have  a  plot  of  ground  of  from  1,000  to 
1,200  square  yards.  In  case  the  government  builds 
the  cottage  it  will  cost  from  $155  to  $310  and  is  to 
be  paid  for  in  from  twenty  to  thirty  annual  pay 
ments.  In  1905,  $12,000  was  expended  for  such  pur 
pose;  a  year  later  the  amount  was  increased  to 
$63,000.  In  one  year  there  were  built  10,943  cot 
tages.  One  specification  of  the  law  is  that  during 
the  period  of  its  being  paid  for  no  alcoholic  bever 
ages  are  allowed  to  be  sold  on  the  property.3 

3  Booker  T.  Washington,  p.  95  seq. 


THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 


EDUCATION 

State  schools  were  established  in  1875,  but  before 

that  there  had  been  many  noted  church,  municipal, 

and  private  schools.    The  latest  available  statistics 
show  the  following: 

Number  of  Number  of    Number  of 

Kind  of  School                    Schools  Teachers          Pupils 

Elementary 

Roman  Catholic 5,305  9,431            710,799 

State    2,744  5,291            316,005 

Parish    (Municipal)    1,417  4,314            265,094 

Reformed    1,903  2,110            204,822 

Greek  Oriental  (Uniates)  . .     1,723  2,320            148,162 

Evangelical     1,338  2,317            137,514 

Eastern  Orthodox   1,963  2,207            132,574 

Jewish   466  903              35,594 

Private    308  21,636 

Unitarian    36  301                2,021 

Colleges,  etc. 

State  Colleges   125  237              25,000 

Teacher  Training 89  8,000 

Classical  Colleges   178  .  3,341              54,199 

Realskola   32  710                 9,540 

Universities    59  12,000 x 

of  science    2 

of  technology 1 

of  law   10 

of  theology 46 

1  1914-15. 


Museums. — Anthropology,  Commerce,  Technol 
ogy,  Industrial  Arts,  Agriculture,  Geology,  all  at 
Budapest.  Many  of  the  principal  towns  have 
museums  hardly  inferior  to  these. 

Libraries. — The  National  with  1,420,000  volumes 
and  manuscripts.  The  Academy  with  200,000  vol 
umes  and  manuscripts.  The  University  with  400,000 
volumes  and  manuscripts. 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          35 

What  results  have  these  several  grades  of  schools 
attained  I 

The  literacy  of  the  people  is  given  as  follows: 

By  Religion  By  Nationality 

Per  Cent  ljer  Cent 

Jews  (can  read)  . . .  83.03  Germans    79.63 

Evangelical 82.26  Magyars    72.52 

Reformed    75.52  Slovaks    60.36 

Roman  Catholic  . . .  68.26  Servians 48.38 

Unitarians 64.95  Roumanians    23.88 

Eastern  Orthodox   .  23.86  Ruthenians    17.78 

Greek  Oriental 

(Uniates)    20.83 

The  result  of  all  this  educational  endeavor  for  the 
last  fifty  years  has  given  Hungary  high  rank  among 
the  nations  of  Europe  for  educational  and  cultural 
standing.  We  quote  from  Hungary  of  the  Hwi- 
garians,  p.  217. 

"  Hungary  with  her  20,000,000  of  inhabitants, 
ranks  to-day  (1913)  next  after  Germany  and  France 
for  her  cultural  means  and  the  earnest  efforts  she 
puts  forth  in  the  interest  of  popular  enlighten 
ment.  ' ' 

Illiteracy  of  immigrants. — Illiteracy  in  the  home/ 
land  as  a  whole  was  18  per  cent  in  1910,  while  thalk 
of  the  farms  was  of  necessity  larger.     Compared  ) 
with  the  literacy  statistics  of  America,  Magyars  fall 
short  about  9  per  cent.     We  have,  however,  only 
meager  statistics  about  the  Magyars  separate  from 
the    immigration    statistics     of    Austro-Hungary. 
Statistics  from  census  reports  for  the  years  1899  to. 
1909  credit  the  Magyars  as  follows : 

Total  number  over  14  years  of  age 282,740 

Total  of  those  who  could  not  read 32,170 

Percentage  of  the  illiterates 11.38 

Compared  with  these  figures  are: 


36  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Per  Cent 

Polish    35.4 

Roumanian   34.7 

Slovak  24.3 

Bohemian    1.7 

Until  1867,  education  was  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  the  clergy.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  table  on 
page  34  that  the  Elementary  schools  are  still 
largely  parochial.  The  marked  disproportion  be 
tween  the  number  of  theological  schools  and  those 
of  science,  law  and  medicine  is  due  to  sectarian 
schools.  Out  of  49  theological  schools  in  1900,  29 
were  Roman  Catholic,  4  Eastern  (Greek)  Orthodox, 
5  Uniate  (Greek  Oriental),  10  Protestant  and  one 
Jewish. 

There  is  no  trace  of  literary  production  in  the 
Magyar  tongue  before  the  twelfth  century.  Pre 
vious  to  that  time  all  publications  were  in  the  Latin 
language,  and  until  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  cen 
tury,  Latin  was  the  language  of  the  court,  the 
higher  schools  and  worship.  The  first  alphabet  for 
the  Magyar  language  was  a  Latin  one,  invented  by 
early  missionaries.  The  monasteries  became  cen 
ters  of  arts,  handicrafts,  new  methods  in  agricul 
ture,  and  focuses  of  civilization.  The  earliest  trans 
lations  were  of  legends  and  books  of  the  Bible. 
Later  came  folk-tales,  folk-songs  and  folk-sagas. 
Gutenberg's  Bible  was  printed  in  1456.  An  almanac 
was  published  in  1457.  A  few  years  later  almanacs 
were  published  in  Hungary  under  King  Matthias. 
The  Reformation  inspired  great  literary  produc 
tion.  Epic,  lyric  and  dramatic  poetry  and  ballads; 
novels,  short  stories,  satires,  and  philosophy  were 
produced  in  this  period.  The  first  newspaper  in 
Magyar  was  founded  by  Rath  in  Pressburg  in  1780. 
The  golden  a^e  of  Magyar  literature  was  the  thirty 
years  preceding  the  Revolution  of  1848.  To  this 
period  belongs  Petofi,  the  great  national  poet,  and 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          S7 

Jean  Arany,  Szasz  and  Vorosmarty,  poets  of  inter 
national  fame.  Arany  translated  Shakespeare, 
Tasso  and  Goethe,  and  Szasz  translated  Moliere, 
Hugo,  Dante,  Shakespeare,  Tennyson,  Goethe,  Schil 
ler  and  Heine.  The  great  novelists  of  the  period 
were  Jokai,  Kemeny  and  Eotvos. 

(D)    KELJGIOUS   CONDITIONS 

In  writing  on  this  phase  of  the  subject  we  wish  to 
acknowledge  our  debt  to  an  English  book  of  joint 
authorship  by  L.  Kellner,  Madame  Paula  Arnold, 
and  Arthur  Delisle,  published  by  the  Pitmans  of 
London,  in  1912.  We  also  acknowledge  our  debt  to 
a  number  of  Magyar  Protestant  missionaries,  Eevs. 
Alex.  Ludman,  Alex.  Kalassay,  Alex.  Harsanyi,  and 
Louis  Bogar. 

Since  the  promulgation  of  the  Ausgleich  or  com 
promise  agreement  with  Austria  there  has  been  re 
ligious  freedom  in  Hungary  for  all  phases  of  Chris 
tianity,  but  not  all  the  religions  have  secured  the 
same  help  from  the  government.  While  all  were 
free,  not  all  were  recognized  by  the  state.  From 
the  eleventh  century  till  the  Kef ormation,  the  Hun 
garians  bore  undivided  allegiance  to  the  See  of 
Borne.  The  Slavs,  however,  in  the  meantime  had 
requested  the  (Greek)  Eastern  Orthodox  Church 
to  send  them  missionaries  and  their  request  having 
been  granted  the  Slav  provinces  of  Lower  Hungary 
were  in  the  early  part  of  the  thirteenth  century  re 
ceived  into  the  (Greek)  Eastern  Orthodox  Church. 
Later  on,  some  Greek  priests  with  their  people  went 
over  to  the  Roman  allegiance.  These  are  now 
known  as  the  IJniate  or  Greek  Oriental  Church. 
They  anoint  the  sick,  baptize  by  immersion,  admin 
ister  communion  in  both  kinds,  and  the  clergy 
marry.  It  SPPHIS  strange  that  such  concessions 
should  be  made  by  the  See  of  Borne  and  the  ex- 


38  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

planation  is  given  by  Count  Julius  Andrassy  as: 
"The  Hungarians  never  developed  that  zeal  m  per 
secution  01  heretics  which  tne  ir'ope  expecieci  of 
them.  In  spite  of  most  urgent  requests  to  the  con 
trary  they  tolerated  the  J  ews  in  the  country  and  did 
them  no  harm."  The  dogma  of  papal  iniallibility 
(1872)  was  published  by  only  one  Hungarian  Bishop 
and  he  was  compelled  to  resign  his  see.  It  is  not 
strange  therefore  that  a  people  of  such  independent 
spirit  should  take  readily  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Reformation  and  that  the  Protestant  Church  began 
in  Hungary  before  1523,  and  has  grown  to  a  mem 
bership  of  almost  four  millions,  including  those  of 
all  racial  elements  of  the  population. 

Though  the  Magyar  is  passionately  tenacious  of 
Ms  individual  liberty  he  yet  submits  in  a  large  de 
gree  to  the  dictates  of  those  in  authority  and  among 
few  people  does  the  minister,  or  priest,  or  the  officer 
of  the  state  exercise  such  power. 

The  king  of  Hungary  has  alwavs  been  the  head 
of  the  church  but  he  has  delegated  his  ecclesiastical 
authority  to  three  archbishops  and  under  these  are 
numerous  bishops  and  lesser  clergv,  representing 
the  various  religions :  Roman  Catholic,  Eastern  Or 
thodox  (Greek),  and  Protestant. 

The  Hungarian  government  until  its  downfall, 
however,  kept  a  controlling  hand  on  the  affairs  of 
the  church.  The  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  is 
also  the  Minister  of  Religion.  He  is  appointed  by 
the  king  and  his  views  on  matters,  religious  and  ec 
clesiastical,  must  be  known  to  the  king  before  he 
gets  his  appointment.  It  was  a  foregone  conclusion 
that  he  would  be  of  the  same  religion  as  the  king, 
a  Roman  Catholic.  "The  Catholic  priest,  the  Prot 
estant  pastor,  and  the  Jewish  rabbi  are  practically 
on  the  footing  of  state  employees,  the  amount  of 
their  salaries,  emoluments,  and  pension  allowances 
being  fixed  by  the  government  and  paid  out  of  a 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          39 

fund  raised  by  a  tax  per  capitem."  4  Everybody,  ir 
respective  of  denominational  affiliation  pays  this 
tax.  In  one  sense  therefore  everybody  in  Hungary 
belongs  to  some  church.  Even  strangers  living  in 
Hungary  for  some  months  will  be  asked  to  register 
their  preferences  and  be  assessed  on  the  tax  list  un 
less  exempted  by  special  request.  Delisle,  the  au 
thor  of  the  book  referred  to,  gives  this  experience : 
When  the  official  came  to  inquire  about  his  religious 
affiliation  he  wrote  ' ' Congregational' '  on  the  ''Iden 
tity  Form."  By  and  by  he  received  a  demand  note 
for  the  payment  of  one  pound,  ten  shillings,  about 
$7.50.  He  said:  "I  never  trouble  these  people,  never 
go  to  their  churches,  I  receive  nothing  from  them," 
and  the  document  goes  into  the  waste  basket.  A 
fortnight  later  a  collector  calls  in  person  and  should 
the  citizen  remain  obstinate,  the  collector  will  pro 
ceed  to  appraise  certain  articles  of  his  furniture  as 
a  preliminary  to  removing  them  if  the  amount  be 
not  paid  within  eight  days  from  the  date  of  the 
visit. 

Under  such  regulations  the  religious  census  sta 
tistics,  we  may  conclude,  are  fairly  accurate,  al- 
thouo-h  we  cannot  say  so  much  about  the  effect  upon 
the  reli,2rious  life  of  the  people. 

It  is  usually  supposed  with  reference  to  our  alien 
population  in  America  that  the  Protestant  element 
among:  them  is  a  negligible  quantity.  However,  this 
may  be  with  reference  to  the  aliens  in  general,  it  is 
not  correct  with  reference  to  the  Magyars. 

The  following  statistics  are  quoted  from  the  Hun 
garian  Census  (1910) : 

Per  Cent 

Roman  Catholics 9,919,713,     or    51.5 

Uniate  (Greek  Oriental)   2,815,713,      "      14.6 

Reformed   2,441,142,      "      12.7 

Eastern  Orthodox  (Greek)   1,854,143,      "        9.6 

4  Delisle,  Hungary  of  the  Hungarians,  p.  211. 


40  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Per  Cent 

Evangelical  (Lutheran)    1,288,942,    or       6.7 

Jews    851,478,      "       4.4 

Unitarians   68,568,      "          .4 

Baptists  and  others 14,760,     "         .1 

This  table  gives  the  statistics  for  the  respective 
religious  bodies  irrespective  of  language,  so  it  must 
be  compared  with  another  table  to  arrive  at  the  esti 
mated  number  of  Magyars  belonging  to  these  re 
spective  religions: 

Taking  the  respective  religions  separately  it  is 
found  that: 

Per  Cent 
Speak  Magyar 

Unitarians    99.09 

Reformed    98.24 

Roman  Catholic 60.50 

Evangelical  (Lutheran)   28.56 

Eastern  Orthodox  (Greek)    13.39 

Greek  Oriental  (Uniate)   1.39 

By  comparing  these  two  tables  we  find  there  is  in 
Hungary  the  following  religious  distribution  of 
Magyars : 

Per  Cent 

Roman  Catholic  6,001,547,  or  about  60 

Reformed  2,398,177,  "  "  24 

Eastern  Orthodox   (Greek)  248,269,  "  "        2.4 

Evangelicals    110,333,  "  "        1.2 

Unitarians    67,944,  "  «          .68 

Jews  and  others 999,700,  "  "  11.72 

Of  course,  this  is  only  an  estimate  and  must  be 
taken  as  such.  On  this  basis  we  may,  however, 
safely  count  that  about  25  per  cent  of  the  Magyars 
are  Protestant  Christians. 

THE   ORGANIZATION   OF   THE   REFORMED   CHURCH   OF 
HUNGARY 

It  will  be  helpful  in  under  st  an  din  z  Mae^ar  mis 
sion  work  in  America  to  cast  a  erlance  at  the  organi 
zation  of  the  Protestant  church  in  Hungary. 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          41 

Districts. — The  government  of  the  Keformed 
Church  of  Hungary  was  at  first  based  on  a  geo 
graphical  distribution.  There  were  five  districts 
each  with  its  own  peculiarities  of  organization. 

1. — The  Transylvanian,  established  in  1553  with 
David  as  bishop. 

2. — The  Transtibiscan,  established  in  1562  with 
Melius  as  bishop. 

3. — The  Cis-Danubian,  established  in  1570  with 
two  Classes  but  both  under  one  bishop. 

4. — The  Trans-Danubian,  at  first  under  the  direc 
tion  of  two  superintendents,  was  made  into  one  dis 
trict  with  one  bishop  in  1616. 

5. — The  Cistibiscan  was  first  organized  into  four 
Classes  with  one  president  in  1648,  but  was  united 
into  one  district  in  1735  when  Szentgyorgyi  was 
elected  bishop. 

Episcopacy  vs.  Democracy. — These  facts  are  given 
to  show  that  there  was  a  tendency  from  the  more 
democratic  toward  the  episcopal  organization  dur 
ing  more  than  150  years.  In  general  the  congrega 
tions  in  Upper  Hungary  followed  the  Genevan  plan 
of  government  while  those  in  the  southern  districts 
adopted  the  episcopal  form  of  government. 

Double  presidency. — This  divergence  of  plan  led 
to  a  compromise  between  the  princes  and  the  advo 
cates  of  presbyterial  form  of  government  by  which 
there  was  a  double  presidency  of  Classes  and  Dis 
tricts  (Clerical  and  Laical).  The  result  was  that  the 
civil  magistrates  put  two  of  their  chief  opponents 
into  jail,  one  of  them  being  a  professor  who  had 
published  a  book  on  Elders  Governing  the  Church. 
Between  these  two  tendencies  in  addition  to  the  op 
pressive  measures  secured  against  the  Protestants 
by  the  "Roman  Catholic  hierarchy,  the  churches 
passed  through  many  gloomy  decades  and  even  cen 
turies  and,  says  Prof.  Balogh,  "The  third  centen 
nial  of  the  Reformation  (1817)  was  observed  with 


42  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

dismal  prophecies,  and  the  situation  was  not  much 
changed  till  1844. " 

Its  organization. — Coming  to  the  organization  of 
the  congregation  and  higher  ecclesiastical  bodies 
there  are  some  peculiarities.  The  officers  of  the  con 
gregation  are  chosen  from  its  membership,  but 
among  the  elders  there  is  one  preeminent :  the  chief 
elder,  or  as  he  is  called,  the  curator.  He  is  usually 
a  man  of  prominence  in  the  social  or  political  affairs 
of  the  community.  His  authority,  if  we  may  judge 
by  the  way  curators  in  America  speak  and  act,  is 
often  greater  than  that  of  the  pastor.  He  will  speak 
of  my  church,  and  my  minister,  and  will  tell  both 
people  and  minister  what  to  do.  Of  course,  it  may 
be  that  he  is  only  more  outspoken  than  some  promi 
nent  elders  or  councilmen  in  our  American  churches. 

Classis. — The  churches  of  a  specified  district  in 
Hungary,  usually  a  county,  constitute  a  Classis. 
Here,  too,  the  double  arrangement  of  officers  pre 
vails.  There  is  a  president,  usually  a  minister, 
but  there  is  also  a  curator  of  almost  equal  author 
ity. 

Synod. — Next  higher  are  the  Synods,  five  in  num 
ber  and  here  again  there  is  an  ecclesiastical  presi 
dent,  a  bishop,  and  a  curator,  a  layman  only,  since 
the  Synod  is  so  much  higher  than  a  congregation  or 
Classis,  the  curator  is  proportionately  a  more  promi 
nent  citizen  of  the  territory  of  the  Synod,  a  baron 
or  count. 

General  Synod. — Highest  of  all  is  the  General 
Synod,  where  the  presiding  officers  are  always  a 
bishop  and  a  baron  or  count.  The  bishop,  of  course, 
would  have  preeminence  in  matters  pertaining  to 
faith  and  doctrine,  but  the  curator  or  civil  president 
would  negotiate  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  rela 
tion  of  church  and  state  or  as  pertain  to  affairs  in 
America.  He  would  carry  through  all  negotiations 
with  an  American  church  or  church  board.  This  at 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY         43 

least  has  been  the  experience  of  Boards  in  America 
dealing  with  Hungarian  church  officials. 

Conventus. — The  conventus  is  an  executive  body 
conducting  the  affairs  of  the  general  church  in  the 
interims  of  General  Synods,  which  are  held  only 
every  ten  years.  It  consists  of  about  sixty  members 
(ex-officio),  all  the  ecclesiastical  and  lay  heads  of  the 
five  synods,  and  other  elected  members. 

Reference  is  made  to  this  organization  of  the 
church  in  Hungary  to  explain  the  church  organiza 
tion  among  Protestant  Magyars  in  America.  The 
first  fact  that  impresses  a  visitor  to  an  American 
Magyar  church  is  the  authority  of  the  minister  and 
then  little  lower  is  the  authority  of  the  curator. 
These  two  men  practically  "run  the  church,"  for 
though  the  election  may  be  somewhat  tumultuous, 
the  minister  usually  secures  the  election  of  his 
curator. 

Present  religious  conditions  in  Hungary. — The 
estimate  of  present  religious  conditions  in  Hungary 
comes  to  us  from  the  Hungarian  Commission  at  the 
Hague  from  which  we  quoted  concerning  the  politi 
cal  situation. 

Beginning  with  a  paragraph  on  the  need  of  new 
spiritual  connections  the  pamphlet  says : 

"During  the  last  two  or  three  generations  the  time 
came  finally  for  our  churches  to  devote  their  atten 
tion  to  their  own  inner  upbuilding.  .  .  .  Providence 
used  our  brethren  in  the  West  to  give  us  the  most 
valuable  help."  This  came  from  the  great  Bible  So 
cieties  of  England  and  America  and  from  the  '  '  Scot 
tish  Mission"  of  the  United  Free  Church  of  Scot 
land.  Of  the  work  of  this  "Mission"  the  writer 
says:  "There  is  scarcely  a  single  religious  move 
ment  on  foot  at  present  in  Hungary  the  beginnings 
of  which  are  not  linked  up  somehow  or  other  with 
this  Mission." 

Among  other  agencies  noted  are  the  Presbyterian 


44  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

World  Movement;  the  influence  of  numerous  Hun 
garian  students  from  Scottish  colleges  and  univer 
sities;  the  influence  of  denominations  of  recent 
origin  in  Hungary  such  as  the  Methodist,  the  Bap 
tist  and  the  Seventh  Day  Adventist.  i  '  Though  small 
in  numbers  and  struggling  with  many  difficulties  due 
to  their  lack  of  a  historical  past  in  the  country,  yet 
these  denominations  soon  exerted  valuable  influences 
.  .  .  and  became  stimulating  rivals  in  Christian  ac 
tivities  to  the  historical  Protestant  denominations." 

This  significant  paragraph  occurs  in  the  pamphlet 
quoted:  "Unfortunately  certain  personal  factors  of 
our  Reformed  Church,  in  its  dealings  with  the  Home 
Mission  Boards  of  some  of  the  American  sister 
churches  sadly  misread  the  real  spiritual  interests 
entrusted  to  them.  They  adopted  an  attitude  with 
regard  to  the  care  of  Reformed  Hungarians  in 
America  .  .  .  which  prevented  the  rich  fruits  of  a 
possible  cooperation  to  ripen  from  the  inner  devel 
opment  of  their  own  church."  There  is  promise  in 
another  paragraph : 

"All  those  movements  which  shape  the  future  of 
Hungary's  religious  life  most  directly,  are  inti 
mately  bound  up  with  the  religious  forces  of  Great 
Britain  and  America;  such  as  the  Young  Men's  and 
Young  Women's  Associations,  the  Sunday  Schools, 
the  Christian  Endeavor  Societies,  the  Student  Vol 
unteer  Movement." 

"Repeated  visits  in  Hungary  of  such  world-wide 
known  representatives  as  John  R.  Mott,  Robert  P. 
Wilder,  Ruth  Rouse,  ushers  in  new  stages  of  devel 
opment.  ' ' 

From  a  private  letter  to  the  author,  dated  Febru 
ary  10,  1922,  written  by  the  pastor  of  a  New  York 
City  Magyar  Church,  lately  returned  from  Hungary, 
a  very  illuminating  view  of  the  conditions  of  Protes 
tant  Church  life  in  Hungary  is  obtained.  He  says : 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY          45 

"The  sufferings  of  the  war  of  four  years,  and  the 
indescribable  experiences  of  two  revolutions  in  five 
months,  and  of  Bolshevism  and  the  Roumanian  in 
vasion  created  a  new  atmosphere  in  our  church  in 
many  senses.  Multitudes,  even  outside  the  churches, 
disillusioned  by  all  the  experiments,  both  of  the  So 
cialistic  and  Bolshevik  regimes,  now  turn  with  more 
trust  to  spiritual  things,  where  they  find  consolation 
after  their  awful  losses  of  material  and  other  things. 
These  good  signs  and  the  collapse  of  some  of  the 
Christian  Churches  (Roman  Catholic,  Reformed, 
Lutheran,  etc.)  in  the  cities  and  the  country,  awak 
ened  many  of  those  ministers  who  themselves  were 
but  mildly  interested  in  Spiritual  things  before  the 
war.  By  these  ministers  our  little  group  of  Gospel- 
preachers  was  greatly  interested  and  last  summer, 
in  one  of  our  frequently  repeated  and  successful 
ministers'  conferences,  we  determined  to  lay  the 
needs  and  methods  of  supply  before  the  General 
Synod  of  the  Hungarian  Reformed  Church  just  held 
in  Budapest.  We  did  that.  There  we  started  an 
Evangelistic  campaign  for  the  whole  country.  For 
preparation  we  established  the  First  Religious  Hun 
garian  Tract  Society  and  started  the  work  with  four 
colporteurs.  As  soon  as  we  get  from  some  source 
enough  financial  help  to  cover  the  expenses,  we  will 
send  out  fifteen  of  our  best  preachers  to  the  country 
for  a  whole  year.  The  doors  are  everywhere  open 
for  us.  If  we  do  not  get  enough  help  we  will  start 
the  work  with  five  preachers  and  they  will  do  this 
work  for  three  years  instead  of  one  as  above  pro 
posed.  The  Methodists  and  Baptists  in  Hungary  are 
pushing  ahead.  This  fact  is  also  stimulating  the 
historical  churches  of  Hungary.  The  Roman  Cath 
olic  Church  is  making  desperate  efforts  to  get 
the  leadership  in  everything  (politics,  etc.).  They 
are  mourning  the  failure  of  the  coup  of  the  Haps- 


46  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

burg  Charles,  the  ex-king  of  Hungary.  We  have  the 
hope  and  assurance  of  the  triumph  of  the  Gospel  in 
Hungary — or  we  are  lost." 

A  plea  for  just  judgment.— Before  closing  this 
Study  of  the  Magyar  background  in  Hungary,  it  will 
be  worth  while,  in  the  interest  of  history  in  its  wider 
bearings,  to  note  the  debt  which  Christian  civiliza 
tion  owes  to  Hungary  as  a  buffer  state  between  it 
and  Mohammedanism  as  that  military  religion  is 
represented  by  the  Turk  with  his  greed  for  conquest, 
his  disregard  for  all  national  and  human  rights  and 
religious  freedom. 

Again  and  again,  in  the  reigns  of  Sigismund,  Hun- 
yadi,  and  Matthias,  and  in  1683  with  the  assistance 
of  Poland  and  its  soldier  king,  John  Sobieski,  Hun 
gary  drove  the  Turk  back  to  his  own  soil.  The  battle 
of  Vienna  in  1683  broke  forever  his  power  and  men 
ace  to  Europe.  " Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due." 

The  Hungarian  is  no  longer  a  "Hun"  but  a 
Magyar.  Why  should  the  Magyar  of  to-day  be  meas 
ured  by  or  punished  for  the  sins  of  his  ancestors  of 
a  thousand  years  ago? 

HUNGARY'S  NATIONAL  SONG 

Rise,  Magyar,  is  the  country's  call ! 
The  time  has  come,  say  one  and  all. 
Shall  we  be  slaves,  shall  we  be  free? 
This  is  the  question,  now  agree! 

REFRAIN  : 

For  by  the  Magyar's  God  above 

We  truly  swear, 
We  truly  swear  the  tyrant's  yoke 
No  more  to  bear. 

Alas!  till  now  we  were  but  slaves; 
Our  fathers  resting  in  their  graves 
Sleep  not  in  freedom's  soil.    In  vain 
They  fought  and  died  free  homes  to  gain. 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HUNGARY         47 

But  by  the  Magyar's  God  above 

We  truly  swear, 
We  truly  swear  the  tyrant's  yoke 

No  more  to  bear. 

A  miserable  wretch  is  he 
Who  fears  to  die,  my  land,  for  thee! 
His  worthless  life  who  thinks  to  be 
Worth  more  than  thou,  sweet  liberty! 

Now  by  the  Magyar's  God  above 

We  truly  swear, 
We  truly  swear  the  tyrant's  yoke 

No  more  to  be:.r. 

The  sword  is  brighter  than  the  chain, 
Men  cannot  nobler  gems  attain; 
And  yet  the  chain  we  wore,  Oh,  shame ! 
Unsheathe  the  sword  of  ancient  fame! 

For  by  the  Magyar's  God  above 

We  truly  swear, 
We  truly  swear  the  tyrant's  yoke 

No  more  to  bear. 

The  Magyar's  name  will  soon  once  more 
Be  honored  as  it  was  before! 
The  shame  and  dust  of  ages  past 
Our  valor  shall  wipe  out  at  last. 

For  by  the  Magyar's  God  above 

We  truly  swear, 
We  truly  swear  the  tyrant's  yoke 

No  more  to  bear. 

Written  by  ALEX.  PETOFI. 
Translated  by  WM.  N.  LOEW. 


PART  II:  THE  MAGYARS  IN 
AMERICA 


Part  II:  The  Magyars  in  America 

• 

Chapter  III 
IMMIGRATION 

Distribution  of  Magyars  in  U.  S. — The  census  of 
1920  classifies  under  "foreign  white  stock "  those 
born  abroad  and  those  born  here,  one  or  both  of 
whose  parents  were  born  abroad.  .  The  Census 
Bureau  has  issued  several  bulletins  concerning  our 
immigrant  population.  The  first  reported  397,282 
born  in  Hungary.  The  second  598,170  born  in  Hun 
gary  and  512,735  born  of  foreign-born  Hungarian 
parents,  a  total  of  1.110,905.  A  later  bulletin  made 
it  1,129,796.  It  must  be  remembered  that  these  fig 
ures  are  for  Hungary  before  the  war  and  include 
all  people  from  Hungary  regardless  of  race,  such 
as  Roumanians  of  Transylvania,  now  a  part  of  Rou- 
mania,  Slovaks  of  Slovakia,  now  a  part  of  Czechc 
Slovakia,  and  Croats,  Slovenes,  Austrians  and 
others  living  in  the  territory  of  Southwest  and  West 
Hungary.  The  last  bulletin  (issued  June  28,  1922) 
gives  the  figures  for  Magyar  "stock"  as  268,112  for 
eign-born  Magyars  and  205,426  born  in  the  United 
States  of  foreign-born  parents,  a  total  of  473,538. 
These  are  real  Magyars,  speaking  the  Magyar  lan 
guage,  and  are  the  people  concerning  whom  this 
book  is  written.  Of  these  473,538  the  state  of  New 
York  has  95,000,  Ohio  88,000,  Pennsylvania  85,000, 
New  Jersey  47,000,  Illinois  40,000,  Michigan  26,000, 
Connecticut  15,500,  Wisconsin  12,000,  Indiana  11,000, 
Missouri  9,500,  West  Virginia  7,300,  California  6,000, 
Minnesota  5,000.  No  other  state  has  more  than  3,000. 

51 


52  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Every  state  in  the  union  has  Magyar  immigrants. 
The  state  with  the  smallest  number  (46)  is  Nevada. 
The  cities  with  the  largest  numbers  are :  New  York 
City  75,000,  Cleveland  33,000,  Chicago  31,000,  De 
troit  23,000,  Philadelphia  20,000,  Akron,  Ohio,  8,000, 
St.  Louis  and  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  11,000  each,  Mil 
waukee  6,000,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  7,500,  Newark,  N.  J., 
and  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  5,500  each,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  5,000, 
Passaic,  N.  J.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  and  South 
Bend,  Ind.,  4,000  each,  Toledo,  0.,  4,000,  Cin 
cinnati,  0.,  4,000,  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  3,500, 
Buffalo  4,500,  Youngstown,  0.,  3,600,  McKeesport, 
Pa.,  3,000,  E.  Chicago,  Ind.,  3,000,  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
and  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  2,500  each,  Roosevelt 
and  Garfield,  N.  J.,  Baltimore  and  San  Francisco 
2,000  each,  Jersey  City,  Lackawanna,  N.  Y.,  Eliza 
beth,  N.  J.,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Yonkers,  N.  Y.  and  Nor- 
walk,  Conn.,  1,800  each,  Mansfield,  0.,  1,400,  Brad- 
dock,  Pa.,  1,300,  Gary,  Ind.,  Canton,  0.,  Columbus, 
O.,  1,200  each,  Barberton,  0.,  1,150,  Clifton,  N.  J., 
Alliance,  0.,  Elyria,  0.,  Aurora,  111.,  Racine,  Wis., 
1,000  each,  Homestead,  Pa.,  Kenmore,  0.,  Paterson, 
N.  J.,  900  each,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  800,  Omaha, 
Neb.,  Denver,  Col.,  Farrell,  Pa.,  Portland,  Ore.,  700 
each,  Whiting  and  Hammond,  Ind.,  Granite  City,  111., 
Hoboken  and  Bayonne,  N.  J.,  New  Haven  and  Tor- 
rington,  Conn.,  N.  Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,  Lakewood,  0., 
and  Steelton,  Pa.,  600  each,  Monessen,  Pa.,  Oakland, 
Cal.,  Joliet,  111.,  Rochester,  Tonawanda  and  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.  Y.,  and  Phillip sburg,  N.  J.,  500  each. 

The  following  cities  and  towns  have  less  than  500 
each:  Connecticut,  Derby,  S.  Norwalk,  Hartford, 
Wallingford,  Stamford;  Pennsylvania,  Hazleton, 
Freeland,  Mt.  Carmel,  Sheppton,  Weston,  Pricedale, 
McAdoo,  Etna,  Star  Junction,  Sharon,  Berwick, 
Elizabeth,  Barnesboro,  Windber,  Beaver  Falls, 
Throop,  Brownsville,  Winburne,  Scalp  Level,  Shick- 
shinny,  Vintonville,  Ambridge,  New  Castle,  Erie, 


IMMIGRATION  53 

Duquesne,  Seanor,  Erwinna,  Heilwood,  Hoods  Hol 
low,  Yatesboro,  Smithdale,  Uniontown,  Ferris,  Ros- 
siter,  Donora,  Puritan,  Clymer,  Harrisburg,  Nesque- 
honing,  Smithton,  Ellwood  City,  Punxutawney,  Dee- 
gan,  Avella,  Masontown,  Helvetia,  Lloydell,  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Phoenixville,  Orient,  Federal,  McKees 
Rocks,  Palmerton,  Sharpsville,  Leechburg,  Scran- 
ton,  Syano,  Zelienople,  New  Brighton,  New  Alexan 
der,  Forbes  Road,  Clairton,  Monongahela,  Saga 
more,  Red  Hill,  Van  Meter,  Vestaburg,  Bruceton, 
Northampton,  Luzerne  Mines,  Devault,  Canonsburg, 
Crab  Tree,  Iselin,  Irwin,  Renovo,  Expedit,  Seminole, 
Aliquippa,  Altoona,  Mclntyre,  Epton,  Yukon,  Board- 
man,  Forest  City,  Millenauer,  Benscreek,  Macdon- 
aldton,  Edri,  Jessup,  Lyndora,  Cherry  Valley, 
Studa,  Oakdale,  Portage,  Coatesville,  Stove,  Argen 
tine,  Springdale,  Connellsville,  Hanover  Green, 
Kingston,  Cuddy,  Elinor,  Shamokin,  Benning,  S. 
Bethlehem,  Latrobe,  Whitsett,  Rankin,  Willock,  Mar 
tin's  Creek,  Allegheny,  Keiser,  Minersville,  Black- 
lick,  Snow-shoe,  Pottstown,  Wehrum,  Mutual,  Udell, 
Daisytown,  Burdine,  Lebanon,  Westmore,  Dunmore, 
Dickson  City,  Morrisdale,  Traveskyn,  Trauger,  Oil 
City,  Broughton,  Charleroi,  Glenwood,  Vestaburg; 
Ohio,  Fairport,  Dillonvale,  Hubbard,  Murray,  Ash- 
tabula,  Barton,  Medina,  Collingwood,  New  Philadel 
phia,  Drakes,  Congo,  Clay  Center,  Maynard,  Fair- 
port  Harbor,  Tilltonsville,  Martins  Ferry,  Hollister, 
Bradley,  Ramsey,  Adena,  Connorville,  Grand  River, 
Niles,  Lansing,  St.  Clairsville,  Painesville,  Mid- 
dletown,  Rossford,  Portsmouth,  Robyville,  New 
Comerstown,  Bedford,  Conneaut,  Fremont,  Glencoe, 
Rayland,  Newark,  Steubenville,  Byesville,  Ashtabula 
Harbor,  Crescent,  Glens  Run,  Gypsum,  Startle, 
Bannock,  Sweden,  Jobs,  Huron,  Warnock,  Coshoc- 
ton,  Modoc ;  New  York,  So.  Tonawanda,  Witherbee, 
Ithaca,  Roseton,  Depew,  Garnerville,  E.  Kingston, 
Portland  Point,  Kreischerville,  Peekskill,  New  Mil- 


54  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

ford,  Hudson,  Hastings  on  the  Hudson ;  New  Jersey, 
Alpha,  Keasbey,  Wharton,  Franklin,  Chrome, 
Franklin  Furnace,  Oxford,  Eoebling,  South  Eiver, 
West  Newark,  Cliffside,  Manville,  Carteret,  Wood- 
bridge,  Oxford  Furnace,  Flemington;  Indiana,  In 
diana  Harbor,  Clinton,  Sullivan,  Terre  Haute,  Uni 
versal;  Illinois,  South  Chicago,  Westville,  Harris- 
burg,  Zeigler,  West  Pullman,  Divernon,  Waukegan, 
Clifford,  Kincaid,  Buckner,  Hegewisch,  Springfield, 
Decatur;  Mart/land,  Lord,  Luke;  Michigan,  Kear- 
sarge,  Muskegon  Heights,  West  Detroit,  Owosso, 
Port  Huron,  Wyandotte,  Mohawk,  Kalamazoo, 
Grand  Eapids,  Bellevue,  Eed  Jacket,  Flint,  Besse 
mer;  Massachusetts,  Boston,  Everett,  S.  Boston; 
Georgia,  Budapest ;  West  Virginia,  Eed  Jacket,  Mor- 
gantown,  Landraff,  Glen  Jean,  Gary,  Benwood, 
Clarksburg,  Holden,  Baxter,  Keystone,  Montana 
Mines,  Tarns,  Filbert,  Farmington,  Logan,  Minotti, 
Ward,  Viropa,  Dobra,  Thorpe,  Algoma,  Elkhorn, 
Hutchinson,  Kempton,  Wheeling;  Virginia,  Stonega, 
Pocahontas,  Dante,  Tom's  Creek;  Delaware,  Wil 
mington;  Colorado,  Primero,  Pueblo;  Kentucky, 
Freeburn,  McVeigh,  Jenkins;  Wyoming,  Eock 
Springs,  Sweetwater;  Oklahoma,  Coalgate;  Rhode 
Island,  Providence. 

The  following  table,  showing  the  distribution  of 
Magyars  in  the  United  States,  has  been  prepared 
from  the  Census  statistics  of  1920.  It  contains  the 
number  of  foreign-born  and  native-born  Magyars  in 
each  state  and  the  number  of  counties,  cities  of 
10,000  or  more  population  and  other  places  where 
Magyars  are  found. 

From  the  table  below  it  will  be  seen  that  Magyars 
are  found  in  every  state  of  the  Union.  They  are 
found  in  more  than  half  of  the  2,873  counties  and  in 
584  cities  of  10,000  or  more  inhabitants,  as  well  as 
in  a  great  number  of  smaller  cities,  towns  and  rural 
districts. 


IMMIGRATION  55 


1 

C/Q 

0 
rO 

I 

K| 

0 

rO 

1 

s 

<u 

}t 

Z.*! 

•^      *" 

No.  of  other  places 
where  found 

New  York     . 

53,653 

41,758 

62 

57 

11 

Ohio    

50,304 

37,710 

75 

49 

39 

Pennsylvania   .  .  . 
New  Jersey  .... 
Illinois 

49,086 
26,697 
22,695 

36,785 
20,572 

17248 

62 
21 
73 

75 
39 
42 

104 
16 
41 

Michigan    

14,921 

11,339 

80 

27 

63 

Connecticut    .... 
\Visconsin    

8,726 
6,623 

6,108 
5,033 

8 
67 

18 
21 

5 

48 

Indiana    
Missouri         .... 

6,172 
5,327 

4,691 
4,349 

58 
57 

28 
10 

35 

50 

W.  Virginia  .... 
California    

4,130 
3,470 

3,139 
2,627 

35 
56 

9 
24 

23 

40 

M.  inn  eso  t  a 

2832 

2152 

73 

9 

74 

North  Dakota  .  . 
Maryland    

1,663 
1,285 

1,253 

977 

46 
22 

3 

4 

45 
20 

Massachusetts    .  . 
Virginia    
Colorado    •  . 

918 
853 
763 

698 
648 
580 

8 
34 
46 

8 
13 
5 

25 

45 

Kentucky   

715 

543 

27 

7 

22 

Washington   .... 
Texas    

698 
621 

530 

472 

100 

28 

10 
75 

Montana 

616 

468 

45 

6 

41 

Oregon    

602 

457 

30 

4 

30 

Nebraska 

535 

407 

54 

5 

55 

Iowa    

493 

375 

Kansas 

411 

312 

62 

13 

51 

South  Dakota  .  . 
Florida   

386 
252 

293 
192 

55 
30 

2 
6 

55 
25 

Alabama 

246 

187 

28 

9 

20 

Wyoming    

230 

175 

19 

2 

18 

Tennessee  

215 

163 

21 

7 

15 

IjOuisiana           .  . 

201 

153 

22 

4 

20 

Oklahoma   
Vermont 

205 
173 

156 
131 

41 

8 

10 
3 

32 

7 

Georgia  

162 

123 

20 

8 

17 

Idaho 

154 

117 

Delaware    . 

143 

108 

3 

1 

2 

56  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 


rO 

B 

counties 
lund 

1  §^ 
"     1 

her  places 
und 

s, 

A 

^^ 

0  !*** 

o< 

5 

'6 

•§ 

£ 

s    s 

V  ^ 

•S 

J^ 

Q 

Q  ^ 

w-S       ^ 

<-j  ^ 

^ 

«l 

^ 

^  3 

S  o  § 

^  3 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

145 

110 

Arizona    

140 

106 

Utah 

118 

90 

Rhode  Island  .  .  . 

116 

88 

5 

1 

6 

New  Mexico  .... 

86 

65 

14 

1 

15 

Arkansas    

71 

54 

24 

5 

20 

Maine   

48 

35 

New  Hampshire. 

74 

34 

m 

m 

North  Carolina  . 

44 

34 

18 

4 

15 

South  Carolina  . 

37 

28 

14 

4 

12 

Mississippi  

31 

23 

Nevada  

26 

20 

Total  268,112    205,426   1,411    584   1,248 

Migrations  in  the  United  States. — There  has 
always  been  much  moving  from  place  to  place  among 
the  Magyar  people  owing  to  changes  in  wages  and 
kinds  of  employment.  A  slight  increase  of  wages 
or  a  more  agreeable  kind  of  work  may  send  them 
across  the  continent.  A  large  majority  of  the  men 
are  single  or  men  whose  families  are  in  the  home 
land.  It  is  therefore  easy  to  go  from  place  to  place. 
It  is,  however,  impossible  to  form  an  estimate  of  the 
magnitude  of  this  migration.  The  only  criterion 
would  be  the  quarterly  reports  of  missionaries  to 
their  respective  Boards,  and  from  these  it  appears 
that  a  missionary  may  report  increases  or  decreases 
of  membership  in  his  congregation  of  from  10  to  20 
per  cent  per  quarter  or  possibly  a  change  of  30  per 
cent  per  annum. 

Return  to  Hungary. — In  the  matter  of  return  to 
the  home  land  we  have  more  definite  information, 


IMMIGRATION 


57 


for  since  the  year  1907  the  government  gives  by  na 
tionality  not  only  the  number  of  immigrants  but  also 
the  number  of  emigrants.  From  government  re 
ports  for  the  years  since  1907  we  cull  the  following 
facts : 

STATISTICS  TAKEN  FROM  REPORT  OF  Til  E  COMMIS 
SIONER-GENERAL  OF  IMMIGRATION  FOR  1921. 


TABLES  XV,  XV  B,  XVIII 


Immi- 

Year  g  rat ion 

1908  24,378 

1909  28,704 

1910  27,302 

1911  19,996 

1912  23,599 

1913  30,610 

1914  44,538 

1915  3,064 

1916  981 

1917  434 

1918  32 

1919  52 

1920  252 

1921  9,377 


Emi 
gration 
29,276 
11,507 
10,533 
18,975 
17,575 
11,496 
14,254 
2,262 
394 
133 
41 
10 

14,619 
12,457 


Net  Immi 

Net 

gration 

Deported 

Increase 

-4^98 

65 

-4,963 

17,197 

i       42 

17,155 

16,769 

304 

16,465 

1,021 

46 

975 

6,024 

39 

5,985 

19,114 

269 

18,845 

30,284 

99 

30,185 

802 

2 

800 

587 

4 

583 

301 

2 

299 

-9 

0 

-9 

42 

2 

40 

-14,367 

.  .  . 

-3,080 

Total    213,319        143,532          69,787          874          68,913 

From  these  figures  we  learn  that  in  the  fourteen 
years  ending  June  30,  1921,  67  per  cent  of  the  Mag 
yars  coming  in  returned  home,  and  33  per  cent  re 
mained.  The  net  gain  for  this  period  by  immigra 
tion,  only,  was  68,913. 

Since  the  close  of  the  World  War,  Magyars  have 
been  returning  in  large  numbers.  Some  Magyar 
colonies  report  one-third  of  the  people  as  either  hav 
ing  gone  or  going.  The  number  returning  in  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1920,  was  14,619,  and  in  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1921,  12,457.  In  1920  only  252 
came  in,  but  in  1921,  9,377. 


58  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

No  one  can  yet  tell  what  the  future  will  bring.  The 
uncertainties  of  Hungarian  politics,  and  the  figures 
given  above  make  forecasts  mere  guesses. 

The  population  of  Hungary  according  to  the  pres 
ent  proposed  alignment  of  territory  for  Hungary 
makes  the  population  almost  exclusively  Magyar. 

The  population  of  Hungary  as  it  was  is  reckoned 
at  18,264,533 ;  that  of  Hungary  as  it  is  to  be  is  given 
at  5,509,168.  The  percentage  of  Magyars  in  this  ter 
ritory  will  be  89.4  per  cent  as  over  against  54  per 
cent  in  Hungary  before  the  war. 

Inquiry  of  Magyars  in  different  cities  shows  that 
those  returning  are  largely  from  the  eastern  coun 
ties  of  Hungary,  and  from  agricultural  communities 
in  Hungary. 

An  illustration  shows  to  what  extent  this  prevails. 

A  Magyar  Eeformed  man  came  to  bid  farewell  to 
his  pastor  while  the  writer  was  present.  He  told  of 
fourteen  other  men  from  the  same  congregation  who 
were  going  on  the  same  vessel.  When  told  of  the 
unsettled  condition  in  the  eastern  part  of  Hungary 
he  said : i '  That  is  just  why  I  am  going  home.  I  have 
a  wife  and  four  children  living  in  territory  now  oc 
cupied  by  the  Eoumanians  and  my  wife  writes  that 
they  are  in  great  need,  having  been  deprived  of  most 
of  their  furniture  and  all  the  food  they  had  not  hid 
den  away  in  the  fields.  What  should  a  husband  do 
when  he  gets  such  a  letter!  I  go.  The  men  who  go 
with  me  go  for  the  same  reason."  Similar  condi 
tions  are  reported  from  every  Magyar  colony  of  any 
size. 

Will  they  return  again? — The  answer  to  this  ques 
tion  usually  is:  "Yes,  unless  we  find  conditions  in 
the  homeland  much  improved  from  what  they  were 
when  we  first  came  to  America."  They  are  hopeful 
that  this  will  be  the  good  fortune  of  Hungary  and 
therefore  the  inference  is  that  those  going  home  will 
remain.  Others  say,  "No,  we  are  going  home  to 


IMMIGRATION  59 

bring  our  family  to  America.  America  has  been 
good  to  me,  it  will  also  be  good  for  my  family.'' 
No  one  can  tell  what  the  trend  of  migration  will  be. 
As  we  have  seen  even  the  Commissioner  of  Immi 
gration  in  his  report  for  1919  is  very  uncertain. 

Since  the  new  Hungary  will  be  almost  exclusively 
agricultural,  the  Commissioner-General  of  Immigra 
tion  thinks  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  expect  that  when 
something  like  normal  conditions  are  restored  in 
central  and  western  Europe,  Hungarian  agriculture 
will  find  itself  in  a  highly  favorable  position,  and 
this  would  normally  act  as  a  powerful  restraint  to 
emigration.  It  is  therefore  only  a  vague  guess  what 
will  be  the  trend  of  immigration  from  Hungary  to 
the  United  States. 


Chapter  IV 
CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA 

(A)    ECONOMIC    CONDITIONS 

The  moral  and  industrial  status  of  the  Magyar  in 
America  is  according  to  Prescott  F.  Hall,  Immigra 
tion,  p.  61,  "higher  than  that  of  the  Slavic  races,  but 
they  are  more  high-strung  and  nervous  and  less 
adaptable,  for  example,  than  the  Slovaks.  .  .  .  And 
they  do  not  readily  assimilate  or  adopt  our  citizen 
ship.  "  Magyars  are  credited  with  about  $16  per 
capita  when  they  come  to  America.  While  here  they 
are  industrious  and  send  home  large  sums  of  money 
for  the  benefit  of  their  families  or  other  relatives. 
One  out  of  thirteen  is  said  to  be  a  skilled  laborer. 

Social  effects  of  economic  conditions. — This  is  a 
difficult  estimate  to  make.  Eichmond  Mayo-Smith  of 
Columbia  University  well  says:  "We  can  compare 
the  constitutional  and  administrative  systems  of  dif 
ferent  countries  and  say  which  unites  the  greatest 
security  for  life  and  property  with  the  greatest  lib 
erty  of  the  individual.  .  .  .  But  there  is  no  adequate 
expression  for  the  degree  of  morality,  or  even  its 
respect  for  law,  much  less  for  the  tone  of  its  social 
life  and  the  loftiness  of  its  social  ideals.  .  .  .  We 
are  in  the  same  position  when  we  try  to  measure  the 
social  effects  of  immigration.  ...  It  would  be  ab 
surd  to  trace  effect  back  to  specific  cause  or  say  that 
certain  desirable  things  are  an  inheritance  from  our 
American  ancestry  and  that  others,  undesirable 
ones,  are  the  result  of  immigration.  We  can  only 
study  tendencies  and  distinguish  certain  character- 

60 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  61 

istics  of  the  American  people  before  the  immigration 
commenced  and  say  whether  we  are  preserving  or 
losing  them." 

The  same  reasoning  pertains  to  the  Magyars  in 
America.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  a  very  large 
percentage  of  them  come  from  the  farms  of  Hun 
gary  and  that  in  the  homeland  they  enjoyed  less  edu 
cational  opportunity  than  was  enjoyed  by  their  more 
fortunate  fellow  countrymen  of  the  towns  and  cities. 

As  probably  72  per  cent  of  the  Magyar  immi 
grants  were  agriculturists  before  they  came  to 
America  we  find  most  of  them  employed  here  in  un 
skilled  labor.  They  are  found  mostly  in  mines  and 
factories  where  they  at  least  begin  as  laborers, 
though  they  soon  work  their  way  up  to  better  pay 
ing  positions. 

Housing  conditions. — These  changes  in  occupation 
were  no  doubt  brought  about  by  the  opportunity 
to  earn  higher  wages.  They  have  not,  however,  re 
sulted  in  higher  standards  of  living.  When  the  men 
worked  in  the  mines  they  lived  mostly  in  company 
houses  and  of  late  years  the  great  coal  companies 
have  housed  their  workmen  in  better  houses  and  sub 
jected  the  tenants  to  occasional  visits  of  an  inspector 
to  see  how  they  live.  Besides  the  house,  they  usually 
had  a  small  plot  of  ground  which  furnished  vege 
tables  for  the  family.  This  applies  notably  to  the 
great  coal  companies  of  western  Pennsylvania, 
where  the  tenants  are  encouraged  to  keep  the  house 
and  lot  clean  by  the  gift  of  prizes  for  the  best  look 
ing  yard  and  in  several  instances  by  affording  spe 
cial  bathing  facilities. 

When  on  the  other  hand  these  men  move  to  the 
manufacturing  town  or  village  they  live  in  rented 
houses  located  in  the  foreign  section,  where  they 
must  pay  exorbitant  rents  for  unsatisfactory  and 
often  unsanitary  houses  and  as  a  consequence  they 
crowd  the  house  with  boarders  till  beds  are  occupied 


62  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

by  two  shifts  of  men :  one  by  day  and  the  other  by 
night.  An  exception  to  this  rule  is  found  in  South 
Lorain,  Ohio,  where  the  town  is  well  laid  out  with 
broad  streets  and  neat  houses  on  broad  lots. 

As  a  rule  the  Magyar  housewife  is  neat  and  clean 
and  very  proud  of  her  culinary  skill  so  that  if  she 
has  a  fair  chance  she  keeps  the  house  clean  and  the 
table  well  supplied  with  nourishing  food.  Prof.  Ed 
ward  A.  Steiner  in  the  Outlook  for  August  29,  1903, 
says  of  the  Magyars  in  Cleveland,  0. :  ' 4  Some  20,000 
live  round  about  the  great  steel  mills.  Although 
street  after  street  is  occupied  by  them  I  have  never 
seen  a  house  that  showed  neglect.  ...  A  large 
Catholic  Church,  a  Greek  Catholic  Church  and  a 
flourishing  Protestant  Church  show  that  the  Magyar 
does  not  neglect  his  religion.  A  weekly  paper  keeps 
him  in  touch  with  the  affairs  of  the  day  both  at  home 
and  in  America. ' ' 

There  was  in  1906  in  New  York  City  a  Hungarian 
Home  and  Free  Employment  Office,  which,  during 
the  year  1907  found  employment  for  1,407  Hungar 
ians,  distributed  as  follows : 

237  in  Coal  Mines.. 

288  in  Factories. 

270  in  Brick  Yards. 

300  as  Porters  and  Domestic  Servants. 

312  as  Farmers. 

All  were  sent  to  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Ohio, 
New  Jersey,  Connecticut,  and  West  Virginia.  The 
average  wages  for  all  of  them  were  $1.46  per  day. 

Wages. — "  Wages  vary  greatly  in  the  same  indus 
try.  They  do  not  depend  so  much  upon  their  ef 
ficiency  as  upon  the  character  of  the  industry  in 
which  they  work.  .  .  .  Magyars  in  cotton  mills  get 
about  $8.92  a  week,  but  in  iron  and  ore  they  earn 
$13.96,^  and  in  oil  refining  $14.61.  The  best  wages 
are  paid  in  mines,  glass  works,  oil  refining,  cigar  and 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  63 

tobacco   factories,   slaughtering  and  meat  packing 
houses  and  on  the  docks. "  * 

Industry  and  thrift. — The  amount  of  money  sent 
to  Hungary  from  1900  to  1906  in  postal  money  or 
ders  is  as  follows : 

Number  of  orders  sent 7097 

Sum  total  of  money   $249,885.37 

Average  per  order  sent $35.21 

Average  per  year $41,647.56 

What  proportion  of  this  was  sent  by  the  Magyars 
it  is  of  course  impossible  to  tell  as  the  immigrant  re 
ports  did  not  differentiate  races  till  the  year  1907, 
but  we  may  infer  that  at  least  one-fourth  of  this 
amount  was  sent  by  Hungarians,  or  about  $62,471.34. 

Savings. — The  Magyar  is  not  remarkable  for  his 
financial  ability.  He  is  industrious  and  honest  but 
he  is  rather  free  in  the  spending  of  money.  His 
home  is  usually  well  furnished,  his  table  is  well  sup 
plied  ;  his  wife  and  children  are  well  clothed ;  but  his 
hospitality  often  gets  the  better  of  him.  There  is 
an  adage  among  Magyars  to  the  effect  that  "The 
last  man  closes  the  door,"  i.e.,  when  the  purse  is 
empty  and  the  owner  must  leave  the  home  in  poverty 
he  closes  the  door. 

The  average  of  deposits  in  thirty-one  immigrant 
banks  investigated  by  the  United  States  Immigrant 
Commission  showed  the  aggregate  amount  deposited 
to  be  $209,190  for  3,196  depositors,  or  an  average  of 
$65.45  per  depositor.  The  Magyar  stood  at  the  bot 
tom  of  the  list  with  a  credit  of  $52.74  while  the 
Greek  reached  an  average  of  $115.90.  We  should, 
however,  say  to  the  credit  of  the  Magyar  that  he 
mistrusts  the  immigrant  bank  and  that  he  sends 
home  large  sums  of  money  through  the  postal  au 
thorities. 

1  The  New  Immigration,  p.  69. 


64  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

The  very  purpose  of  their  coming  to  America  is 
to  improve  their  economic  condition.  It  would  be 
interesting  to  know  the  per  capita  amount  they  save, 
but  since  this  is  impossible  we  may  note  that  some 
years  ago  the  writer  inquired  of  the  Postmaster  of 
Irwin,  Pa.,  where  at  that  time  many  Magyars 
worked  in  the  mines,  what  amount  of  money  was 
sent  to  post  offices  in  Hungary.  The  accommodat 
ing  official  reported  an  average  for  six  months  as 
being  $3,400  per  month,  or  an  average  of  $72  per 
order.  A  more  recent  (1919)  estimate  at  the  same 
post  office  is  $109  per  order. 

It  is  true  among  the  Magyars,  as  among  all  immi 
grant  people  in  America,  that  every  able-bodied 
person  must  work.  The  result  is  that  children  are 
sent  to  the  mine  or  the  mill  as  early  as  the  law 
permits,  and  the  number  of  producers  is  limited 
only  by  the  number  of  children  in  the  family. 

The  following  table  gives  a  comprehensive  view 
of  social  and  economic  conditions  of  the  Magyar 
working  man  in  America. 

ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  DATA  BY  PERCENTAGES 

(COMPARED  WITH  NEIGHBORING  PEOPLE) 
•*»   i    i 

SS    'rS      $ 


IH    *•! 

11     .*    JE,  <X>     S 


Political  Condition 
Naturalized 

33 

11 

46 

9 

9 

First  papers  

16 

16 

28 

14 

13 

Literacy 
Speak  English  ... 

56 

46 

66 

51 

33 

Can  read  

90 

91 

99 

71 

82 

Can  read  and  write  .  . 

83 

90 

96 

69 

81 

Gabriel  Dokus  Sr.  European  Trained  Gabriel  Dokus  Jr.  American  Trained 

TYPICAL   MAGYAR   MINISTERS,    FATHKR   AND   SON 


MAGYAR   REFORMED   SINGING   CI.UB,    TOLEDO,    OHIO. 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  65 


h  '-2  o  ^ 

»^ 

^  2 

g  £%»,  £< 

^ 

0    °» 

O 

0    ^ 

B«S       S1 

*4-^, 

^  S£ 

*****   CO 

**~-,'S 

^*»2 

11 

«*.a 
II 

<O    V 

11 

^  § 

M  ^ 

!| 

|£U 

P 

p 

o 

v  o 

*«' 

Occupations  at  home 

15 

7 

29 

3 

5 

54 

66 

31 

81 

74 

Laboring       

10 

12 

10 

8 

11 

Trade     

3 

I 

2 

.6 

3 

Households 

Average     number     of 

persons 

In  household  .... 

6 

7 

5 

8 

12 

In  room  

1.4 

2 

1.18 

2 

3 

In  sleeping  room  .  . 

2.5 

3 

3 

3 

4 

Keeping  Boarders 

Per    cent    of    house- 

33 

54 

9 

60 

80 

Residence  of  Wives 

In  Europe  

23 

43 

8 

59 

74 

In  America             .  .  .  . 

77 

57 

92 

41 

26 

Kind  of  Employment  in 

Industries,     percen 

tage  of  workers 

5.2 

'* 

Iron  and  steel   

.. 

5.4 

'] 

\\ 

Car  building 

3.5 

Electrical  supplies  .  .  . 

2.9 

Sewing  machine  fact  . 

t 

3 

"' 

'' 

'* 

Weeklv  Income  in  Cash 

Men   

$11.92 

$11.65 

$13.07 

$11.37 

$10.00 

$  790 

$  7.74 

$  9.28 

$  7.57 

Belong  to  Trade  Unions 

Native  Americans  .  .  . 

.  14.1 

.  . 

.  . 

.  . 

.  . 

Foreign  born    

13.4 

9.7 

4.8 

5 

0 

(B)   SOCIAL  CONDITIONS 

Neighborhood  life. — A  study  of  Magyar  neighbor 
hood  life  is  very  interesting.     Every  neighborhood 


66  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

differs  in  some  respects  from  every  other.  In  the 
early  history  of  the  neighborhood  most  of  the  peo 
ple  came  from  the  same  neighborhood  in  Hungary, 
and  so  transferred  the  old  neighborhood  peculiari 
ties.  Brother  sent  home  for  brother ;  father  sent  for 
son;  son  for  father.  Next  came  mother  or  sister 
or  other  relatives.  In  the  meantime  neighbors  in 
the  old  community  learned  by  letter  of  the  land  of 
liberty  and  opportunity  and  cam©  to  be  neighbors 
here. 

Neighborhood  spirit. — Neighborhood  spirit  is  pe 
culiarly  strong  among  the  Magyars,  and  usually  it 
clusters  about  the  Church.  This  results  in  help  to 
the  church  in  memory  of  the  home  land.  Two  illus 
trations  will  suffice:  The  Protestant  congregation 
in  Homestead,  Pa.,  is  composed  largely  of  people 
from  one  county  in  Hungary  (Ungh),  but  not  all  of 
the  colony  belong  to  the  congregation  here.  The 
neighborhood  spirit,  however,  prompted  the  people 
to  offer  to  erect  an  iron  fence  around  the  church, 
property  as  a  remembrance  of  the  home  community. 
It  was  supposed  to  cost  $400.  It  really  cost  $900, 
but  was  paid  for  on  the  day  of  dedication.  All 
things  pertaining  to  a  church  or  church  property 
must  be  dedicated,  be  it  fence  or  bell  or  finial  to  the 
spire.  Of  course,  a  dedication  is  also  a  day  of 
recreation. 

The  Magyar  colony  of  Martins  Ferry,  Ohio,  comes 
from  another  county  in  Hungary,  where  different 
customs  and  a  different  spirit  prevail.  Here  there 
is  not  such  attachment  to  the  church  but  more  in 
terest  in  social  community  life.  This  found  expres 
sion  in  the  erection  of  a  Magyar  House,  which  is 
used  by  the  Benevolent  Association  and  for  social 
purposes.  The  Protestant  people  or  Roman  Cath 
olic  or  Greek  Catholic  alike  have  the  privilege  of 
using  the  hall  for  religious  service  on  Sunday  morn 
ing,  only  the  brass  band  may  be  practicing  in  an 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  67 

adjoining  room.  Frequent  dances  and  dramatic 
entertainments  serve  to  preserve  the  old-world  com 
munity  spirit. 

The  newer  colonies  are  more  varied  in  their  per 
sonnel.  They  are  composed  more  largely  of  men 
and  women  who  have  come  from  the  older  Magyar 
communities  in  America  in  order  to  get  better  wages 
or  better  living  conditions.  Probably  the  most 
characteristic  of  such  colonies  is  that  of  Akron, 
Ohio,  which  has  grown  with  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
city.  The  result  is  that  there  is  more  Americanism 
manifest,  but  also  more  unrest  and  contention 
among  the  people.  Protestant  Ministers,  here, 
complain  that  the  people  are  hard  to  get  along  with 
and  do  not  respond  readily  to  the  ministrations  of 
the  church.  The  Protestant  minister  observing  this 
has  done  his  best  to  have  the  people  enter  Ameri 
canization  classes,  and  he  himself  teaches  the  com 
munity  classes. 

Relation  to  the  old  country.— The  attachment  of 
the  Magyar  to  the  homeland  is  very  strong.  In  an 
swer  to  a  question  as  to  why  this  continues  in 
America  when  the  people  left  the  homeland  because 
of  the  trying  conditions  in  which  they  had  lived, 
the  answer  given  was:  "The  Magyar  people  al 
ways  loved  freedom  but  could  not  have  it  because 
of  Hapsburg  rule  and  the  submission  of  the  nobles 
of  Hungary  to  Hapsburg  influences.  We  have  ever 
hoped  for  freedom  and  in  1848  almost  got  it.  We 
hope  for  it  still  and  when  we  get  it  we  will  go  home 
to  help  preserve  it."  They  revere  their  historic 
heroes  with  great  devotion.  Nothing  will  bring 
them  to  their  feet  and  invigorate  their  singing  like 
the  Magyar  national  hymn  and  their  folk  songs. 

All  Magyars  in  America  apologize  for  their  part 
in  the  World  War.  They  say  they  were  dragged 
into  the  great  war  by  a  pro-Hapsburg  government 
against  the  will  of  the  people;  that  when  the  war 


68  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

broke  out  the  Hungarian  troops  were  stationed  on 
the  western  front  and  the  Austrian  troops  were 
stationed  in  Hungary  for  the  purpose  of  suppress 
ing  any  revolutionary  attempt.  Now  that  the  war 
is  over  and  the  nation  is  under  a  new  government 
it  is  hoped  that  freedom  will  be  secured  and  that  a 
new  day  is  dawning  for  the  Magyar  race. 

Sympathy  for  the  homeland. — All  the  colonies  of 
Magyars  in  America,  through  their  churches  and 
lodges,  are  showing  their  sympathy  for  their  suf 
fering  countrymen  and  relatives  by  sending  home 
very  liberal  sums  of  money  and  by  earnest 
endeavors  to  secure  from  the  League  of  Nations  the 
restoration  of  the  dissevered  provinces.  We  limit 
ourselves  here  to  a  brief  statement  of  the  liberal 
support  they  are  giving  to  the  war  sufferers  in  the 
homeland.  On  the  occasion  of  a  visit  to  the  Magyar 
Reformed  Congregation  in  Toledo,  0.,  during  the 
month  of  February,  1920,  we  learned  that  the  three 
Religions :  Roman  Catholic,  1,500  members,  Eastern 
Orthodox  (Greek),  500  members,  and  the  Reformed, 
500  members,  would  send  home  next  day  the  sum  of 
$3,333  each,  and  that  by  the  end  of  May,  they  would 
send  home  $10,000  more.  More  recently  all  the 
Magyar  colonies  in  America  have  sent  home  large 
sums  of  money  to  secure  the  return  of  war  prisoners 
from  Russia. 

Relation  to  Americans. — Of  the  Magyars  as  of  all 
immigrants  it  is  true  that  they  keep  very  much 
aloof  from  Americans.  There  are  numerous  rea 
sons  for  this.  First,  they  have  their  own  old-world 
ideas,  and  being  very  proud  of  them  as  having  been 
of  the  dominant  race  in  the  old  country,  they  do  not 
freely  mingle  with  Americans.  It  has  been  said 
that  the  Magyars  coming  through  the  gateway  of 
the  nation,  Ellis  Island,  are  greatly  different  from 
other  immigrants  in  that  "they  show  an  upstanding, 
independent  spirit  far  above  most  immigrants."  It 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  69 

is  well  to  know  that  they  maintain  this  spirit  long 
after  they  have  passed  the  gateway.  In  the  next 
place,  they  say  they  have  received  hard  treatment 
from  Americans  with  whom  they  have  come  in  con 
tact  both  in  economic,  social,  and  even  religious 
association.  And  lastly,  their  pride  prompts  them 
to  live  here  in  full  expectation  of  going  home  again. 
Only  about  15  per  cent  of  them  took  out  naturali 
zation  papers  before  the  war  as  over  against 
33.0  per  cent  of  Slovenians,  24.1  per  cent  of  He 
brews,  and  21.9  per  cent  of  Lithuanians.  Why 
should  they  seek  to  mingle  freely  with  the  Ameri 
cans,  if  they  did  not  wish  to  remain  here,  and  espe 
cially  if  the  Americans  did  not  wish  them  either  to 
become  American  or  to  associate  with  them.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind  in  this  connection  that  all 
immigrants  of  the  laboring  class  are  unwelcome  to 
the  American  laboring  class,  and  that  the  higher 
classes  in  America  do  not  freely  associate  with  the 
laboring  classes  either  foreign  or  American  born. 
Since  the  war  the  number  of  naturalized  Magyars 
has  reached  about  30  per  cent  (estimated  from  vary 
ing  figures). 

There  was  in  fact  very  little  done  by  the  Ameri 
cans  before  the  war  to  show  the  foreign-born  any 
of  the  better  characteristics  of  our  American  society 
in  any  of  its  relations.  We  left  them  severely  alone, 
and  they  felt  it.  It  is  worth  noting  that  where  the 
Magyars  did  come  into  contact  with  American  life 
they  made  good.  Employing  corporations  speak 
highly  of  them.  A  number  of  years  ago,  during 
the  time  of  the  great  strike  at  Homestead,  Pa.,  it 
was  said  of  the  Magyars,  "They  did  not  strike; 
they  stopped  work  after  notifying  the  corporation 
that  they  wished  to  quit  for  their  personal  safety 
and  would  come  on  again  as  soon  as  the  danger  had 
passed. "  The  corporation  has  ever  since  then 
taken  interest  in  its  Magyar  workmen  and  has 


70  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

favored  them  in  their  church  work.  The  citizens 
of  the  town,  too,  recognize  their  readiness  to  cooper 
ate  in  civic  improvements. 

Since  the  war  there  are  also  numerous  occasions 
when  Magyars  and  Americans  have  cooperated  in 
civic  betterment  and  in  religious  services.  Ex 
amples  of  this  were  enjoyed  by  the  writer  about 
two  years  ago  in  East  Chicago,  Indiana  Harbor, 
and  Whiting,  when  the  Methodist  people  of  Indiana 
Harbor  joined  with  the  Magyar  Reformed  people  in 
East  Chicago,  in  an  afternoon  Americanization  serv 
ice,  and  the  latter  returned  the  compliment  in  joining 
with  the  Methodist  congregation  in  the  evening  in 
a  bi-lingual  service  in  Indiana  Harbor.  It  was  also 
the  writer's  privilege  to  take  part  in  similar  serv 
ices  in  Lorain,  0.,  where  Magyars  and  Americans 
joined  in  Americanization  services  on  Sunday  after 
noon  and  Sunday  evening  and  ended  with  a  Magyar 
supper  in  the  Magyar  schoolroom  at  which  the  ad 
dresses  were  given  by  prominent  men  of  the  city, 
English  and  Magyar.  At  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  a  sim 
ilar  occasion  was  graced  by  three  congregations, 
their  pastors  and  their  choirs,  the  Presbyterian,  the 
Congregationalist  and  the  Magyar  Eeformed,  all  in 
the  Magyar  Church,  where  the  congregation  cele 
brated  its  twenty-fifth  anniversary. 

It  is  certain  that  all  these  occasions  aided  in  bet 
ter  acquaintance  and  closer  association  in  civic  and 
religious  affairs  in  the  future. 

Moral  standards. — In  writing  about  the  moral 
standards  of  these  people  in  America  it  is  necessary 
to  take  into  consideration  the  changed  conditions  in 
which  they  live.  At  home  68  per  cent  of  them  lived 
on  the  farms  and  led  the  simple  life  characteristic 
of  the  country.  In  America  more  than  75  per  cent 
of  them  live* in  the  large  cities ;  and  they  live  in  the 
foreign  section.  Magyars  have  a  peculiar  love  of 
the  country  and  try  to  enjoy  its  sights  and  sounds 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  71 

even  in  the  city.  Plants  and  flowers  and  birds  are 
everywhere  in  evidence  in  the  Magyar  colony;  but 
in  these  colonies  also  are  in  evidence  crowded  tene 
ments  and  rooms  suffocating  with  the  presence  of 
boarders.  True,  the  Magyars  are  not  as  much  given 
to  taking  lodgers  as  some  other  nationalities,  being 
the  sixth  on  the  list,  yet,  their  rating  is  that  53.6 
per  cent  of  them  keep  boarders.  In  all  the  unfavor 
able  conditions  in  which  they  live,  "The  percentage 
of  domestic  infidelity  and  immorality  among  Mag 
yars  is  not  greater  than  it  is  among  English-speak 
ing  people  in  the  same  social  status"  (Roberts — - 
New  Immigration,  p.  141).  It  is  the  general  tes 
timony  that  the  morals  of  the  home  are  maintained 
in  a  remarkable  degree  considering  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  home. 

Honesty. — Merchants  testify  to  the  honesty  of  the 
Magyars.  A  baker  in  Scottdale,  Pa.,  stated  that 
on  one  occasion  during  a  strike  in  the  coke  region 
a  Magyar  customer  disappeared  and  was  not  seen 
for  more  than  a  year,  when  he  entered  the  store  and 
explained  that  he  had  worked  in  West  Virginia  and 
could  not  save  enough  to  come  and  pay  his  bill  until 
now.  The  bill  was  $28.50.  Some  time  later  another 
came  from  a  distance  to  pay  a  balance  of  $0.68. 
The  comment  of  the  baker  was:  "Americans  don't 
come  back."  The  testimony  of  employers  is  that 
Magyars  do  an  honest  day's  work  for  fair  wages. 

Drinking. — Probably  the  most  serious  vice  among 
the  Magyars  is  drinking,  but  this,  too,  is  more  an 
American  than  a  Magyar  product.  It  is  well  known 
in  western  Pennsylvania,  that  until  prohibition  went 
into  effect  the  whisky  agent  and  the  beer  agent  can 
vassed  the  foreign  colony  at  stated  times  and  took 
orders  which  were  delivered  to  the  home  and  to  the 
boardrno-  honqp  on  Saturday  a^prnoon.  There  is 
not  nrn^Ti  difference  between  fifteen  .Arnpricans  sit 
ting  around  beer  kegs  on  Sunday  afternoon  at  4 


72  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

o'clock  or  the  same  number  of  Magyars.  The  kegs 
will  be  empty  and  the  men  will  be  full.  Worse  even 
than  this  was  the  fact  that  boarding-house  keepers 
got  a  percentage  for  the  use  of  a  large  supply  of 
beer  and  so  young  men  who  abstained  were  soon 
told  to  get  board  and  lodging  elsewhere.  Saloon 
men  tried  in  every  way  to  cultivate  the  habit.  Dan 

was  a  saloon  man  in  a  large  city.  When  the 

new  pastor  came  from  Hungary,  Dan  told  him  the 
best  place  to  become  acquainted  with  his  parish 
ioners  was  the  saloon.  The  young  minister  accepted 
the  advice,  till  he  found  himself  taken  in  to  drink 
and  to  gamble  away  his  salary.  It  needs  to  be  said 
that  the  young  minister  got  his  eyes  opened  in  time 
to  save  himself  from  ruin.  The  liquor  traffic  is 
banned,  but  the  evil  remains  though  the  Magyar 
ministers  and  the  prominent  men  among  them  are 
fighting  the  illicit  traffic.  The  first  Magyar  book  on 
Temperance  was  written  by  Kev.  Dr.  A.  Harsany,  of 
Homestead,  Pa. 

Regard  for  law. — Little  wonder  if  the  Magyars 
with  other  nationalities,  have  small  regard  for 
American  laws.  At  home  they  were  under  strict 
restraints  and  were  severely  punished  for  infraction 
of  law.  Here  they  escape  punishment  by  giving  a 
bribe,  or  they  lose  respect  for  the  officers  of  the  law 
because  they  are  not  fairly  dealt  with.  A  constable 
in  a  small  town  had  brought  in  a  Magyar  to  the 
office  of  the  squire  charged  with  fighting.  The 
charge  was  established;  the  man  was  fined  $5  and 
costs;  the  bill  was  $9.50.  When  the  constable  saw 
him  take  a  $20  bill  out  of  his  pocket  he  told  the 
squire  to  add  $10  to  the  bill. 

Morals  of  the  children:  the  second  generation. — 
In  common  with  all  alien  people  the  Magyars  have 
great  difficulty  in  maintaining  the  morals  of  their 
children.  Parents  are  likely  to  lose  the  control  of 
their  children  when  they  reach  the  age  of  self  sup- 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  73 

port.  Girls  hire  out  in  families  and  usually  adopt 
the  style  of  living  and  the  habits  of  their  employers. 
They  no  longer  obey  father  and  mother.  Boys  go 
to  the  mill  or  the  mine  and  swagger  and  carouse 
with  the  proceeds  of  their  labor.  Much  credit  is, 
however,  due  these  parents  for  instilling  into  their 
children  much  of  moral  and  religious  instruction, 
which  safeguards  their  morals.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  the  children  of  the  Magyar  people  know  more 
about  the  requirements  of  the  moral  law  than  do  the 
average  of  American  children  of  the  same  age. 

John  Lengyel  had  a  general  store  in  the  coke  town 
of  Trauger,  Pa.  Some  years  ago  he  entertained  the 
superintendent  of  missions  on  Sunday.  The  near 
est  Sunday  School  was  a  mile  away  along  a  country 
road.  This  was  John's  excuse  for  not  sending  the 
children.  John  resented  the  suggestion  that  his 
children  were  losing  very  necessary  religious  in 
struction.  He  called  them,  four  in  number,  from 
the  kitchen  into  the  sitting  room  and  had  them 
stand  in  line  to  recite  the  Lord's  Prayer;  the  Apos 
tles'  Creed;  the  Ten  Commandments;  the  Twenty- 
third  Psalm ;  the  Beatitudes,  and  then  they  sang  the 
Twenty-third  Psalm  all  in  Hungarian.  With  a 
twinkle  in  his  eye,  he  asked, ' '  Does  it  matter  in  what 
language  we  know  these  things?  Can  the  Ameri 
can  children  of  their  age,  from  5  to  10,  do  any 
better!"  Frankly,  they  cannot.  "Who  taught 
them?"  John  answered,  "Mother  and  I,  on  Sun 
day  afternoon." 

In  addition  to  this  home  instruction,  the  Magyar 
children  are  sent  to  the  minister  for  from  four  to 
six  weeks'  instruction  in  the  teachings  and  duties 
of  their  religion.  But  they  need  it  all  and  more, 
for  the  work  they  will  do  when  men,  the  conditions 
surrounding  them,  and  the  temptations  assailing 
them  will,  if  anything,  be  more  seductive  than  is  the 
experience  of  the  American-born  child.  Magyar 


74  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

pastors  testify  that  comparatively  few  of  their 
young  people  make  moral  shipwreck;  but  they 
lament  that  so  many  of  them  become  negligent  of 
their  religious  duties  and  spend  Sunday  in  the  park, 
on  the  auto  journey,  or  in  the  socialists'  club.  To 
hold  them  to  the  church  they  encourage  special 
meetings  for  young  people  and  permit  them  to  have 
entertainments  in  the  school-room  of  the  church  on 
Sunday  evenings. 

Care  of  the  Orphans  in  America. — No  people  care 
better  for  children  than  do  the  Magyars.  No  people 
are  more  kindly  disposed  toward  orphans.  Hith 
erto,  however,  the  Magyar  orphans  in  America  were 
cared  for  either  in  the  homes  of  kindly  disposed 
friends  or  neighbors  or  they  were  sent  to  American 
orphans'  homes  to  be  cared  for  by  the  general 
benevolence  of  the  American  people  or  the  liberal 
ity  of  the  churches  maintaining  such  homes.  When, 
however,  the  Magyar  people  had  done  so  much  for 
the  war  orphans  in  Hungary,  they  also  determined 
to  establish  an  orphans'  home  for  the  needy  children 
without  parents  in  this  country. 

The  task  was  undertaken  by  the  Federation  of 
Eeformed  and  Presbyterian  Benevolent  Societies  in 
the  spring  of  1921.  This  organization  purchased 
a  fine  summer  hotel  on  the  mountainside  at  Ligonier, 
Pa.  The  location  is  ideal,  the  outlook  across  the 
valley  is  magnificent.  The  building  is  compara 
tively  new,  having  been  erected  only  eight  years 
ago.  The  grounds  are  large  and  a  good  spring  of 
mountain  water  is  near  the  building. 

The  superintendent  and  his  family  are  very  well 
qualified  for  the  position  they  occupy.  Eev.  Dr. 
Alex.  Kalassay  came  to  America  more  than  25 
years  ago  and  for  about  18  vears  was  pastor  of  the 
oldest  Eeformed  Magyar  Church  in  America,  in 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.  For  the  last  15  years  he  had  been 
President  of  the  Western  Classis  of  the  Hungarian 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  75 

Reformed  Church  in  America.  The  call  of  the 
orphans  was  clear  enough  and  strong  enough  for 
him  to  leave  his  congregation  and  take  up  this  new 
work. 

There  are  now  only  about  40  orphans  in  the 
home,  but  the  number  is  increasing  every  month 
and  no  doubt  before  the  first  year  of  the  home's 
history  is  completed  it  will  be  filled  to  capacity, 
about  100  children.  No  activity  of  the  Magyar  peo 
ple  in  America  is  eliciting  so  much  enthusiasm  as 
the  orphans'  home,  so  its  future  is  well  assured. 

Organizations. — Magyar  people  have  a  genius  for 
organization.  There  are  besides  the  great  benevo 
lent  associations  in  connection  with  the  churches 
and  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  "study"  about  60 
organizations,  located  largely  in  our  cities  of  the 
industrial  zone  but  in  reality  spread  out  all  over 
the  country.  The  objects  for  which  they  exist  are 
"too  numerous  to  mention,"  but  a  statement  of  a 
few  will  serve  to  show  their  variety.  Among  them 
are  numerous  social  organizations ;  a  number  of  so 
cieties  evidently  intended  to  perpetuate  Hungarian 
patriotism;  a  few  educational  societies;  some  ath 
letic  associations;  many  industrial  and  trade  socie 
ties  and  possibly  several  Soviet  organizations  judg 
ing  from  the  names  they  bear.  Most  of  them  seem 
to  be  flourishing  and  serving  well  the  purpose  of 
their  creation. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  characterize  them  in 
detail,  but  this  is  impossible  because  of  the  very 
nature  of  such  societies,  whether  English  or  Mag 
yar.  Because  they  are  all  more  or  less  exclusive 
we  content  ourselves  by  referring  the  reader  to  lists 
published  by  the  Inter-Racial  Council. 

The  reports  from  the  officers  of  the  three  most 
prominent  Benevolent  Societies  show  that  they  have 
representatives  in  various  places  as  follows: 

(1)  The  Reformatus  Egysulet  (Reformed  Benev- 


76  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

olent  Federation),  of  which  Alex.  Covier  of  Johns 
town,  Pa.,  is  president,  and  Stephan  Molnar  of 
Toledo  is  secretary-treasurer,  reports  7,500  mem 
bers,  residing  in  189  different  localities.  Since  this 
society  admits  to  its  membership  only  Protestant 
Magyars  it  is  no  doubt  represented  in  much  the 
same  localities  as  the  Verhovoy,  which  admits  Mag 
yars  without  distinction  of  religious  affiliation. 

(2)  The  Verhovoy,  with  25,000  members,  has  rep 
resentatives  in  329  places. 

(3)  The  Bridgeport  Hungarian  Federation  has 
7,000  members. 

LITERATURE 

Newspapers. — There  are  68  Magyar  newspapers 
and  magazines  published  in  this  country,  not  count 
ing  a  number  of  parochial  papers  published  by  Mag 
yar  ministers  and  priests. 

The  list  includes  secular  papers  in  the  following 
cities:  New  York  City,  11;  Cleveland,  5;  Detroit, 
5;  Pittsburgh,  Buffalo  and  Chicago,  3  each;  New 
ark,  N.  J.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  South  Bend,  Ind., 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  Youngstown,  O.,  2  each; 
Akron,  Cincinnati,  Martins  Ferry  and  Lorain,  0., 
Trenton  and  Passaic,  N.  J.,  Philadelphia,  Hazleton, 
Bethlehem  and  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Los  Angeles  and 
Oakland,  Cal.,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  Hammond,  La., 
1  each. 

Of  these  three  are  great  dailies — the  Sabadzag 
of  Cleveland  and  the  Nepseva  and  Elore  of  New 
York.  Most  of  the  others  are  weeklies.  Some  are 
general  newspapers,  others  are  trade  journals  and 
one  at  least,  the  Dongo,  is  a  comic  paper. 

The  three  great  dailies  run  high  in  the  newspaper 
world  both  for  the  reliability  of  their  news  and  for 
the  talented  manner  in  which  it  is  presented.  Of 
many  of  the  other  papers  it  must  be  said,  as  by  a 


CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA  77 

friendly  writer  concerning  newspapers  in  Hungary : 
"They  leave  much  to  be  desired, "  both  as  to  matter 
and  appearance.  Editors  should  use  more  discrim 
ination  in  accepting  articles  and  should  use  the 
scissors  more  freely  in  editing  them.  The  pages  of 
many  Magyar  papers  in  America  lend  themselves 
too  readily  to  unseemly  and  unprofitable  contro 
versy.  This,  at  least,  is  the  general  criticism  of 
their  Magyar  constituency. 

There  are  12  religious  papers — two  each  in  Tren 
ton,  N.  J.,  Wallingf  ord,  Conn.,  and  McKeesport,  Pa. ; 
one  each  in  Pittsburgh  and  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Brook- 
field,  111.,  Wallingford,  Conn.,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and 
Cleveland,  0.  One  is  Seventh  Day  Adventist,  one 
Eoman  Catholic,  three  Baptist,  one  Lutheran,  one 
Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Church  in  the  U.  S., 
Hungarian  Churches  of  Trenton,  N.  J.,  one,  Hun 
garian  Reformed  Church  in  U.  S.,  one,  Hungarian 
Reformed  Church  in  America,  one,  and  two  are  in 
dependent.  (See  Appendix  II.) 

The  editors  say  the  character  of  the  paper  is 
largely  due  to  the  inclination  of  ministers  and  other 
professional  men  to  publish  a  paper  of  their  own 
if  their  contributions  are  not  published  as  they  send 
them  in  or  as  early  as  they  desire.  There  is  a  scar 
city  of  Magyar  ministers  in  America,  but  there  seems 
to  be  a  superabundance  of  editors.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  refusal  to  publish  an  article  is  followed  by 
criticism  of  the  paper  and  lack  of  interest  in  it,  and 
frequently  the  publication  of  a  personal  paper.  Too 
often  this  places  the  editor  between  Scylla  and 
Charybdis.  Either  he  must  yield  to  the  whims  of 
his  contributors  or  must  see  his  circulation  decrease. 
He  may  leave  his  chair  to  a  successor  and  then  he 
is  likely  to  cease  his  endeavors  in  behalf  of  the 
publication. 


Chapter  V 
RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA 

(A)  CHURCH  WORK  AMONG  THE  MAGYARS 

Religious  distribution. — From  the  tables  on  pages 
39,  40  a  fairly  accurate  judgment  may  be  formed 
concerning  the  distribution  on  arrival  here  of  our 
Magyar  population,  between  Catholics  and  Prot 
estants,  and  between  Evangelicals  and  non-Evan 
gelicals. 

Readers  are  referred  to  those  tables  rather  than 
repeating  them  here. 

The  Census  of  1920  reports  268,112  foreign-born 
Magyars  in  the  United  States  and  205,426  native- 
born,  total  473,538.  According  to  the  foregoing 
percentages  the  Magyars  in  the  United  States  are 
divided  as  follows: 

Roman  Catholics 284,122 

Reformed    113,649 

Jews    47,969 

Eastern  Orthodox 11,364 

Lutherans  (Evangelical)    5,682 

Unitarians    3,220 

Baptists,  Presbyterians  and  others 7,489 

The  only  sources  of  information  regarding  the 
work  American  Churches  are  doing  among  the  Mag 
yars  in  America  are  the  reports  of  the  respective 
Mission  Boards  and  Associations.  From  these  we 
learn  the  following  facts : 

The  first  Mission  Board  to  take  up  mission  work 
for  the  Magyar  people  was  that  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States,  which  began  its  work 
July  1st,  1891,  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Eev.  John  Kovacs, 

78 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         79 

pastor,  and  in  Cleveland,  O.,  January  1,  1891,  Eev. 
Gustav  Jurassy,  pastor.  Its  work  grew  apace  till 
1903,  when  it  had  17  organized  congregations  with 
about  1,800  communicant  members ;  in  addition  there 
were  about  15  filials,  or  outlying  preaching  places. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America  had  also  begun  work  in  1900,  and  by  1903 
had  several  preaching  places  and  organized  congre 
gations.  It  has  now  (1922)  30  organized  churches 
and  16  Missions. 

A  new  denomination  came  into  this  work  in  1903. 
Up  to  this  time  the  Reformed  Church  of  Hungary 
did  no  mission  work  for  her  children  in  America, 
but  as  their  number  was  rapidly  increasing  by  im 
migration,  the  Church  of  Hungary  saw  the  impor 
tance  of  beginning  such  work.  The  nucleus  for  it 
came  from  the  Reformed  and  Presbyterian  mis 
sions;  the  Reformed  Church  giving  up  seven  con 
gregations  and  the  Presbyterian  Church  five,  to  the 
new  organization. 

In  1920  this  church  had  46  congregations  and  over 
9,000  members,  the  largest  element  in  Magyar 
Protestant  church  life  in  America.  Unfortunately 
the  division  of  the  Magyar  people  into  these  several 
branches  resulted  in  considerable  friction  and  hind 
rance  of  the  real  \vork  of  a  church.  Some  of  the 
congregations  formerly  belonging  to  the  Reformed 
and  Presbyterian  churches  seceded  to  join  the 
church  of  their  fathers. 

The  Baptist  Church  is  very  active  and  is  doing  a 
very  commendable  work  among  the  Magyar  people, 
having  20  organized  churches  and  25  Missions.  The 
Baptists  lead  in  supplying  Magyar  literature.  Other 
churches  doing  good  work  are  the  Presbyterian 
Church  (U.S.),  the  Reformed  Church  in  America, 
and  the  Lutheran  and  Protestant  Episcopal 
Churches,  until  now  as  we  gather  the  reports  they 
are  as  follows: 


80  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 


CQ 


ii 

§     <X> 

1'i 

jl 

S 

S*t^ 

II 

Reformed  Church  in  the 
US 

42 

15 

7,459 

4,035 

Reformed       Church       in 
America    

2 

3 

144 

86 

Presbyterian   Church,   U. 
S   A    

31 

14 

3,370 

1,828 

Presbyterian  Church,  U. 

s    

3 

17 

326 

113 

Lutheran  Church         .  .  . 

7 

5 

957 

300 

Baptist  Church  (N)  
Protestant      Episcopal 
Church    

20 
10 

25 

1,200 
1,387 

1,650 

Independent  Magyar  Re 
formed       Church       in 
America    

6 

1,375 

1,400 

The  reasons  for  the  situation  in  America  are 
easily  found  in  the  fact  that  the  older  denominations 
receive  them  on  their  declaration  of  having  been 
members  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Hungary,  and 
thus  receive  them  in  groups  or  colonies,  while  the 
newer  denominations  usually  require  a  personal  re 
newal  or  declaration  of  faith. 

The  churches  first  mentioned  are  w^ell-known  by 
the  Magyar  people  at  home.  The  Eeformed  Church 
in  Hungary  is  claimed  to  be  the  largest  Eeformed 
Church  on  the  continent.  Its  history  dates  back  to 
the  times  of  the  Reformation.  This  allies  them  to 
the  Reformed  Churches  in  America.  It  is  a  sig 
nificant  fact  that  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States  received  every  congregation  by  request  of 
the  Magyar  people  themselves.  The  same  may 
probably  be  said  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Lutheran 
Churches. 


OFFICERS   OF   A   BENEFICIAL   SOCIETY.    LORRAINE,   OHIO. 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         81 

The  doctrinal  teaching  of  the  Church  in  Hungary 
is  Calvinistic,  and  so  the  people  when  they  come  to 
America  readily  ally  themselves  with  the  Presby 
terian  Church.  Again  there  is  a  very  considerable 
number  of  Magyar  Protestant  people  in  Hungary, 
especially  in  Transylvania,  who,  though  Magyar  in 
language,  are  the  descendents  of  German  people 
who  came  to  Hungary  early  in  the  history  of 
Protestantism,  and  who  are  now  Evangelical  (Lu 
theran)  and  naturally  affiliate  with  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  America. 

It  is,  of  course,  a  question  as  to  which  method  is 
preferable.  By  the  former  method  a  much  larger 
proportion  of  a  group  or  colony  is  kept  under  the 
influence  of  the  Gospel;  under  the  latter  there  is 
probably  attained  a  higher  degree  of  Protestant 
Evangelical  Christianity  in  the  smaller  congrega 
tion.  Sure  it  is  that  the  churches  to  which  the  Mag 
yar  people  have  come  in  groups  should  hold  them 
selves  responsible  for  the  higher  attainment  of  the 
entire  group  and  should  spare  neither  effort  or  ex 
pense  to  prevent  any  of  them  from  wandering  out 
into  the  world  to  be  gathered  in  one  by  one  after 
they  have  wandered  away.  Even  now  there  are 
distressing  losses  from  the  fold. 

It  needs  to  be  remembered,  too,  that  it  is  the  cus 
tom  of  most  Magyar  congregations  to  count  only 
the  heads  of  families  as  members.  This  indicates 
that  possibly  half  of  the  Protestant  Magyars  attend 
churches  and  contribute  occasionally  to  their  sup 
port.  Eeliable  authorities  say  there  are  now  in 
America  about  110  Protestant  ministers  working 
among  these  people  in  about  125  different  localities. 
Much  work  remains  yet  to  be  done  for  these  worthy 
people. 

In  the  pages  immediately  following  will  be  found 
lists  of  Magyar  Churches,  by  denominations,  in  the 
United  States.  A  study  of  these  lists  will  be  very 


THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 


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RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA          83 


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RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         85 


STATISTICS   OF   MAGYAR   BAPTIST    CHURCHES   AND 
MISSIONS:    ORGANIZED    CHURCHES    (1922) 

Members    Adherents 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Akron, 

Ohio,  Rev.  G.  Kecskes,  930  Grand  St.  . .  16  25. 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Bridge 
port,  Conn.,  Rev.  S.  Gazsi,  149  Ash  St.  93  40 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Buffalo,  N. 

Y.,  Rev.  J.  Botka,  350  Austin  St 45  25 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Cleveland, 

Ohio,  Rev.  M.  Biro  152  50 

West  Side  Hungarian  Baptist  Church, 
Cleveland,  0.,  Rev.  J.  Matuskovits,  6008 
Chatham  66  30 

Second  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Cleve 
land,  O.,  Rev.  Wm.  Dauda,  Cor.  118  & 
Buckeye  Rd 72  25 

Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Dante,  Va., 

Rev.  L.  Yoo,  Box  54  15  15 

Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Detroit,  Mich., 
Rev.  F.  S.  Fazekas 66  30 

Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Granite  City, 

111.,  without  pastor  10  10 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  McKees- 
port,  Pa.,  Rev.  L.  Stumpf,  139  Diamond 
Ave 40  20 

Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  New  Castle,  Pa., 

Rev.  S.  Bertalan 45  25 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  New  York, 

N.  Y.,  Rev.  W.  Dulitz,  225  E.  80th  St.  . .  109  40 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Perth 
Amboy,  N.  J.,  Rev.  S.  Balogh,  375  Law 
rence  St 53  25 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Philadel 
phia,  Pa.,  Rev.  M.  Majorcsak,  1410  Ran 
dolph  30  20 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Scranton, 

Pa.,  Rev.  G.  Gogolyak,  1214  Philo  St.  ...  15  10 

First  Magyar  Baptist  Church,  Trenton,  N. 

J.,  Rev.  A.  Toth,  2343  Wm.  St 52  30 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Home 
stead,  Pa.,  Rev.  Arthur  Stumpf,  149 
Fourth  Ave 40  20 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Walling- 


86  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

ford,  Conn.,  Rev.  M.  Szilagyi,  50  Pros 
pect  St 32  15 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  West  Pull 
man,  111.,  Rev.  A.  Petre,  11803  Emerald 
Ave 63  25 

First  Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Elyria, 

Ohio,  Rev.  L.  Revcsz,  403  W.  River  St.  32  25 

Hungarian  Baptist  Church,  Harrisburg  Pa., 
Damian  lovan 

Cincinnati,  0 

E.  St.  Louis 

Total ' 1,046  505 

STATISTICS    OF   MAGYAR   BAPTIST    CHURCHES   AND 
MISSIONS:  MISSIONS 

Members    Adherents 
Canton,  Ohio,  Rev.  J.  Kovach,  Harrisburg 

Rd 17  15 

E.  Chicago,  Ind.,  Rev.  E.  Revy,  3247  Mell- 

ville  Ave 30  15 

E.  Hammond,  Ind.,  Rev.  E.  Revy,  3247  Mell- 

ville  Ave 

Gary,  Ind.,  Rev.   E.   Revy,   3247  Mellville 

Ave 

Dayton,  Ohio,  Rev.  F.  Ver 14  15 

Lorain,  Ohio,  Rev.  L.  Revcsz,  403  W.  River 

St.,  Elyria,  0 

Flint,  Mich.,  without  pastor 6  15 

Lansing    

H.  Park,  Detroit,  Mich.,  Rev.  P.  F.  Schill 
ing,  605  Wheeland  Ave 

Irwin,  Pa.,  Rev.  M.  Biro,  139  Diamond  St. 
Duquesne,  Pa.,  Rev.  M.  Biro,  139  Diamond 

St 

New  Brighton,  Pa.,  Rev.  S.  Bertolan,  New 

Castle,  Pa 

Ellwood  City,  Pa.,  Rev.  S.  Bertolan,  New 

Castle,  Pa 

Ward,  West  Va.,  Rev.  N.  Dulitz,   225  E. 

80th  St.,  New  York 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  N.  Dulitz,  225  E.  80th 

St.,  New  York 

Ogdensburg,  N.  J.,  Rev.  N.  Dulitz,  225  E. 

80th  St.,  New  York 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         87 

Franklin  Furnace,  N.  J.,  Rev.  N.  Dulitz,  225 
E.  80th  St.,  New  York 

Chrome,  N.  J.,  Rev.  S.  Balogh,  Perth  Am- 
boy,  N.  J 

Berwick,  Pa.,  Rev.  G.  G.  Gogolyak,  Scran- 
ton,  Pa 

Youngstown,  Ohio,  Chas.  Bamayai 27  15 

Sharon,  Pa.,  Chas.  Bamayai 

So.  Norwalk,  Conn.,  Rev.  M.  Szilagyi,  Wall- 
ingf ord,  Conn 

Roda,  Va.,  Rev.  L.  Yoo,  Dante,  Va 

Martins  Ferry,  0.,  without  pastor 35  20 

Rayland,  Ohio,  without  pastor 

St.  Paul,  Minn.,  Rev.  A.  Kandler 25  20 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Jos.  Botka 

Chicago,  111.,  Stephen  Groza 

Chicago,  111.,  Albert  Paxte 

Garfield,  N.  J.,  N.  Kovacs 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  J.  S.  Fazekas 

Total  .  154  115 


Total  members  and  adherents 1,200  620 


STATISTICS    OF    MAGYAR    MISSIONS    OF  THE 

REFORMED   CHURCH  IN   THE   U.  S.    (1922) 

S.S. 

Congregation — Minister                               Members  Members 

Akron,  Ohio,  Rev.  Arpad  Bakay 110  60 

Ashtabula,  Ohio,  Rev.  Eugene  Vecsey 100  65 

Bridgeport,  Conn.,  Rev.  Alex  Ludman 420  350 

Bridgeport,  Conn.,  Rev.  Komjathy 200  165 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Andrew  Urban 95  56 

Chicago,  111.,  Rev.  Eugene  Boros 316  175 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  Rev.  Alex  Csutoros 332  175 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  Rev.  Alex  Toth 750  375 

Columbus,  Ohio,  Rev.  Julius  Hanko 151  58 

Conneaut,  Ohio,  Rev.  Eugene  Vecsey 50  24 

Dayton,  Ohio,  Rev.  John  Azary 212  145 

Detroit,  Mich.,  Rev.  Michael  Totli 550  350 

Drakes-Congo,  Rev.  Alex  Radacsi 84  30 

East  Chicago,  Ind.,  Rev. 189  150 

Elyria,  Ohio.  Rev.  A.  S.  Kalassay,  Jr 126  75 

Fairport,  Ohio,  Rev.  Charles  J.  Krivulka  ...         75  46 


88  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Flint,  Mich.,  Rev.  Beni  Jozsa 95  40 

Gary,  Ind.,  Rev.  Alex  Mircse 112  46 

Holsopple,  Pa.,  Rev.  John  B.  Szeghy 30  15 

Homestead,  Pa.,  Rev.  Samuel  Horvath 350  95 

Johnstown,  Pa.,  Rev.  Ernest  Porzsoldt 115  40 

Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  Rev.  Stephen  Virag 45  40 

Kearsarge,  Mich.,  Rev. 45 

Lorain,  Ohio,  Rev.  Francis  Ujlaki 280  193 

McKeesport,  Pa.,  Rev.  Julius  Melegh 210  90 

New  Haven,  Conn.,  Rev.  Alex  Ludman  ....  26 

New  York,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Geza  Takaro 485  140 

Northampton,  Pa.,  Rev. 28 

Passaic,  N.  J.,  Rev.  Ladislaus  Tesrze 238  39 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Rev.  Edmund  Vasvary 300  130 

Pocahontas,  W.  Va.,  Rev.  Andrew  Kovacs  45  22 

South  Bethlehem,  Pa,,  Rev.  Emil  Nagy 130  170 

South  Chicago,  111.,  Rev.  Rudolph  Pompl  ...  90  25 

South  Norwalk,  Conn.,  Rev.  Gabriel  Dokus  . .  220  140 

Springdale,  Pa.,  Rev.  51  38 

Toledo,  Ohio.,  Rev.  Louis  Bogar 426  251 

Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Andrew  Urban   ....  18 

Torrington,  Conn.,  Rev.  Alex  Ludman 22 

Uniontown,  Pa.,  Rev.  Andor  Harsanyi 22  12 

Wallingford,  Conn.,  Rev.  Bela  Kovacs 50  46 

Whiting,  Ind.,  Rev.  63  40 

Windber,  Pa.,  Rev.  Bela  Kerekes 130  72 

Woodbridge,  N.  J.,  Rev.  Frank  Kovacs 53  34 

Total     7,459  4,035 


MAGYAR  CHURCHES  AND  MISSION  STATIONS  OF  THE 
REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

ORGANIZED  CHUKCHES 

Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  L.  S.  H.  Hamory,  Peekskill  90  51 

Manville,  N.  J.,  Rev.  Andrew  Kosa,  Manville  ....  54  35 

MISSION  STATIONS 

Hudson,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  L.  S.  H.  Hamory 

East  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  L.  S.  H.  Hamory 

Roseton,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  L.  S.  H.  Hamory   (a  brick 
yard  near  Newburgh)   


informing,  because  they  will  show  not  only  where 
the  various  denominations  are  working,  but  how  far 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         89 

they  are  cooperating,   and  whether   any  localities 
where  Magyars  are  numerous  are  being  neglected. 

So  far  as  can  be  learned  from  the  Magyar  relig 
ious  papers  there  are  in  America  46  Roman  Catho 
lic  congregations,  and  about  200  Protestant  con 
gregations.  The  Refonndtusok  Lapja  is  authority 
for  the  statement  that  there  are  72  Protestant  min 
isters  in  this  country.  The  above  estimate  of  Prot 
estant  congregations  assumes  that  each  minister  on 
an  average  serves  two  congregations.  According 
to  the  same  authority,  the  Roman  Catholic  congre 
gations  are  located  by  States  as  follows: 

MAGYAR  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCHES 
State  Places 

New  York  Buffalo,  Lackawanna,  New  York  City. 

New  Jersey  Alpha,  Newark,  New  Brunswick,  Passaic,  Perth 
Amboy,  Roebling,  South  River,  and  Trenton. 

Connecticut         Bridgeport  and  South  Norwalk. 

Pennsylvania  Allentown,  Connellsville,  Farrell,  Johnstown, 
Leechburg,  McAdoo,  McKeesport,  Northampton, 
Palmerton,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh,  South  Beth 
lehem,  Trauger,  Throop,  and  Windber. 

Illinois  Chicago. 

Indiana  East  Chicago,  Gary,  and  South  Bend. 

Minnesota  St.  Paul. 

Virginia  Pocahontas. 


(B)    MAGYAR   REFORMED   CHURCHES 

Having  been  accustomed  to  large  churches  in  the 
homeland,  the  Magyar  people  in  America  strain 
every  resource  to  have  fine  churches.  They  are 
seldom  erected  in  the  midst  of  the  community  in 
which  early  Magyar  settlers  located,  but  usually  in 
the  most  prominent  location  in  the  city  or  village. 
The  plan  is  similar  to  that  of  churches  at  home; 


90  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

usually  rectangular,  with  a  high  steeple  in  front 
and  the  chancel  and  pulpit  at  the  far  end.    The 
structure  will  be  two  stories  in  height,  the  main 
auditorium  being  on  the  second  floor,  and  intended 
to   serve  for  purely  religious   services   only.    No 
money  will  be  spared  in  its  ornamentation,  its  ap 
pointments  and  its  furniture.     It  is  the  delight  of 
the  members  of  the  congregation,  men  and  women, 
to    contribute    something    for    its    ornamentation. 
Stained  glass  windows  are  usually  contributed  by 
congregations  from  other  cities,  by  the  Benevolent 
Society  of  the  congregation, — seldom  by  a  family  of 
the   congregation.    Families    and   individuals   will 
find  opportunity  to  give  other  things,  such  as  a  fam 
ily  pew;  a  hymn  board;  a  pulpit;  covers  for  the 
pulpit  or  for  the  communion  table;  or  even  a  pipe 
organ.    They  may  also  contribute  for  the  outside 
adornment  of  the  church ;  a  bell  or  even  a  finial  for 
the   spire.    Every  one  wishes   to  give  something. 
The  result  is  that  sometimes  incongruous  things  find 
their  way  to  the  church,  such  as  bouquets  of  paper 
flowers,  pulpit  covers  of  inharmonious  colors.     The 
most  interesting  small  gifts  are  the  contributions 
of  the  women,  which  consist  most  frequently  of 
covers  for  the  Communion  table.     These  are  always 
appreciated  because  they  represent  the  handiwork  of 
the  donor.     They  may  be  of  rich  white  silk  as  richly 
embroidered;  or  rich  lace  covers  two  yards  square 
which  represent  a  year  of  the  donor's  spare  time  to 
make.     Being  appreciated  as  they  are,  they  are  all 
used  on  every  occasion,  so  that  the  chalice  plates 
and  cups  at  the  service  are  usually  covered  with 
from  four  to  eight  of  them. 

Church  business  meetings. — Business  meetings  of 
all  sorts  are  held  in  the  basement  of  the  church;  it 
is  not  so  sacred  as  the  auditorium.  It  is  well  such 
meetings  are  held  in  the  basement,  for  they  some 
times  become  boisterous.  If  it  is  an  election  that  is 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         91 

being  held,  the  nominations  will  be  made  vive  voce 
and  there  will  be  a  right  and  a  left  as  clearly  marked 
as  in  the  Parliament  in  the  home  land.  The  nom 
inee  of  one  side  will  be  freely  characterized  by  some 
speaker  on  the  other  and  will  in  turn  be  answered 
by  the  proposer  of  the  name.  The  nominee  will  be 
present  and  will  likely  resent  the  uncomplimentary 
remarks  made  about  him  and  may  even  refuse  the 
nomination  because  of  them.  "All  right;  that 
leaves  the  way  open  to  nominate  some  one  from  the 
other  side." 

Entertainments. — Where  there  is  no  community 
house  the  basement  of  the  church  is  used  for  enter 
tainments.  In  most  cases  they  consist  of  dramatic 
performances  and  are  given  by  the  young  people 
of  the  congregation.  These  are  both  interesting 
and  helpful  to  the  young  people.  The  preparation 
for  the  entertainment  brings  them  to  the  church  two 
or  three  evenings  of  the  week,  where  they  rehearse 
under  the  direction  of  the  pastor  or  some  other 
responsible  person.  The  audience  to  whom  the  en 
tertainment  is  given  consists  of  the  members  of  the 
congregation  and  their  friends.  Any  one  is  ad 
mitted,  but  during  the  time  of  preparation  the  per 
formers  have  sold  tickets  for  reserved  seats  ( ?)  so 
that  late  comers  must  stand.  If  there  is  neither 
business  nor  entertainment  to  bring  the  people  to 
the  church  during  the  week,  the  pastors  encourage 
their  men  to  come  to  the  basement  for  a  social  eve 
ning  which  is  spent  in  conversation,  debate,  games 
and  smoking.  If  there  are  any  churches  in  America 
which  as  a  rule  make  the  church  a  social  center  more 
constantly  than  the  Magyar  Reformed  Churches  we 
should  like  to  hear  from  them. 

Old  country  church  methods  retained. — Not  only 
old-country  faiths,  but  also  the  customs  of  the 
people  in  which  these  faiths  find  expression  are 
continued  m  America.  Magyar  Reformed  congre- 


92  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

gations  in  America  are  organized  after  the  type 
prevailing  in  Hungary.  The  people  elect  their 
officers  and  pastor.  The  officers  are  all  ordained 
and  installed  as  elders,  but  each  is  designated  to 
some  special  duty.  The  chief  elder  is  called  the 
Curator,  who  acts  for  the  congregation  and  the 
"Presbyterium"  official  board  in  all  business  af 
fairs,  and  is  also  to  stand  by  and  assist  the  pastor 
in  the  more  spiritual  duties  of  an  elder.  Other 
elders  are  elected  secretary,  treasurer,  and  collect 
ors.  The  collectors  are  to  gather  all  the  funds 
needed  for  the  support  of  the  congregation.  This 
official  body  divides  the  entire  community  and  even 
the  vicinity  into  collection  districts  which  are  visited 
by  the  appointed  collector  regularly  once  or  twice 
a  month,  according  to  the  frequency  of  "pay-day," 
to  receive  the  money  of  the  members.  In  addition 
to  these  funds  the  people  give  an  offering  in  the 
Lord's  Day  services.  For  a  number  of  years  all 
persons  who  contributed  at  any  time  during  the  year 
were  counted  regular  members.  Since,  however,  this 
resulted  in  confusion  and  frequent  contentions,  most 
of  the  Magyar  congregations  now  either  use  the  en 
velope  system  of  monthly  payments  and  count  as 
members  only  those  who  contribute  regularly.  Spe 
cial  offerings  are  given  at  every  festival  service, 
and,  we  may  add,  even  at  weddings  held  in  church 
during  the  week,  the  last  named  offering  being  for 
the  use  of  the  church. 

Pastor's  salary. — The  pastor's  salary  is  usually 
fixed  at  so  much  per  month  together  with  the  use 
of  the  parsonage.  In  addition  to  this  he,  however, 
gets  rather  liberal  perquisites  (Stola)  the  amounts 
of  which  are  designated  by  the  official  board;  so 
much  for  a  baptism,  for  a  wedding,  for  a  funeral, 
or  for  some  other  specified  duty  of  the  minister. 
There  is  considerable  dissatisfaction  among  the  peo 
ple  with  reference  to  this  custom,  because  the 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         93 

minister  is  the  chief  beneficiary  and  is  sometimes 
supposed  to  receive  or  even  charge  unduly  for  his 
services,  especially  in  outlying  districts.  The  min 
isters,  themselves,  are  discouraging  the  custom  and 
asking  for  a  sufficient  support  in  a  specified  salary. 
The  average  salary  of  the  Magyar  minister  cannot 
be  exactly  estimated  because  of  the  "Stola"  sys 
tem,  but  the  Magyar  people  desire  their  ministers 
to  live  well  and  provide  liberally  for  their  needs. 
A  general  estimate  is  that  the  salary  should  be 
$1,500,  parsonage  and  the  "Stola." 

The  Lord's  Day  services  are  of  peculiar  interest. 
The  people  are  unusually  devout.  All  are  attentive 
and  take  part  in  the  services.  The  singing,  consist 
ing  of  Psalms,  is  remarkable  for  the  choral  music 
used  and  for  the  volume  of  voice  with  which  every 
one  sings.  The  congregation  stands  during  the 
reading  of  Scripture.  It  is  the  voice  of  God  and 
calls  for  this  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  people. 
They  also  stand  during  prayer.  Offerings  are  usu 
ally  very  liberal,  amounting  frequently  to  an  aver 
age  of  from  50  to  75  cents  per  attendant. 

The  minister. — The  minister  in  the  Reformed 
Churches  of  Hungary  appears  before  his  people 
during  the  singing  of  the  first  psalm,  wearing  the 
"Palast,"  a  cape  extending  from  the  shoulders  to 
the  feet.  He  uses  a  liturgical  order  of  service  with 
an  occasional  prayer  prepared  and  written  by  him 
self.  The  sermon  is  based  on  some  scripture 
passage  rather  than  on  a  text,  as  is  the  custom 
among  American  ministers;  and  usually  applies  to 
some  present-day  subject.  Before  the  Great  War 
there  were  frequent  references  to  the  aspirations 
of  the  Magyar  nation ;  since  then  there  is  more  fre 
quent  reference  to  the  sufferings  of  the  people  and 
the  comforts  of  the  scriptures.  There  are  also  more 
frequent  references  to  Americanization  and  the  need 
of  help  from  the  American  Christian  Churches. 


94  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

In  making  these  comments  it  is  of  course  under 
stood  that  the  various  phases  of  thought  and  doc 
trine  which  prevail  in  America  according  to  denom 
ination  and  school,  prevail  still  more  among  the 
Magyar  ministers  according  to  the  measure  in  which 
they  have  studied  American  conditions  and  the 
teachings  of  American  theological  schools. 

Catechisation. — The  Magyar  Protestant  congrega 
tions  and  ministers  deserve  much  credit  for  the 
faithful  and  effective  instruction  they  give  the  chil 
dren  before  they  are  admitted  into  all  the  privileges 
and  burdened  with  all  the  responsibilities  of  church 
membership.  Classes  for  this  purpose  are  con 
ducted  every  year  and  frequently  twice  a  year  for  a 
period  of  from  two  to  three  months,  during  which 
they  are  taught  the  doctrines  of  the  church,  the 
psalms  and  hymns,  the  occasional  prayers  for  the 
home  and  for  the  personal  use  of  the  individual  on 
entering  or  leaving  the  church,  etc.,  and  also  a  num 
ber  of  Bible  stories  and  Bible  history. 

Vacation  Bible  Schools. — In  addition  to  the  in 
struction  by  the  pastor  there  are  Vacation  Bible 
Schools  conducted  each  summer  during  the  time  of 
public-school  vacation  for  the  religious  instruction 
of  the  young.  These  are  in  session  for  two  months 
for  five  hours  a  day.  The  instruction  is  given  by 
young  students.  Magyar  Deaconesses  give  special 
attention  to  the  welfare  of  the  second  generation. 
Magyar  families,  like  all  immigrant  families,  live 
in  surroundings  where  this  is  especially  necessary. 
The  only  playground  in  most  Magyar  communities 
is  the  village  or  city  street.  In  mining  communities 
these  are  mostly  muddy  lanes  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  year,  so  that  under  the  most  favorable 
weather  condition,  it  is  difficult  to  keep  the  children 
reasonably  clean.  The  homes  from  which  they  come 
are  often  so  crowded  with  boarders  and  the  mother 
so  busy  caring  for  them  that  the  children  do  not 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         95 

receive  due  attention.  A  first  duty  of  the  deaconess 
is  to  encourage  the  mother  and  in  many  instances 
help  her  take  proper  care  of  her  children.  Nat 
urally  she  tries  to  persuade  the  mother  to  have  less 
boarders  and  give  more  time  to  the  children.  The 
result  is  the  opposition  of  the  father  to  the  efforts  of 
the  deaconess. 

The  alternative  is  to  have  either  classes  for  the 
little  ones  who  do  not  go  to  school  or  to  have  school 
for  all  children  on  Saturday  in  which  sanitation, 
cleanliness  and  order  are  taught  together  with  sing 
ing  and  needlework  to  the  girls,  the  result  is  again 
that  parents  object  to  the  suggestions  of  their  own 
children.  The  vacation  schools  are  therefore  the 
most  effective  method  of  teaching  them,  for  this  the 
parents  want  for  the  sake  of  the  relief  it  gives  the 
mother  for  the  time  being  of  the  care  of  the  children. 

Deaconesses. — Magyar  ministers,  unless  they  have 
been  taught  in  an  American  Seminary,  know  little 
of  family  visitation,  except  when  called  to  the  fam 
ily  in  time  of  sickness,  and  this  is  seldom  done. 
They  even  say  such  visitation  on  their  part  is  not 
desirable  and  not  effective,  because  the  men  are 
away  from  home  during  the  day  and  the  women  too 
busy  to  receive  a  call  from  the  pastor.  Here  the 
deaconess  is  most  effective  if  she  works  under  the 
instruction  of  the  pastor  and  reports  to  him  daily. 
The  women  welcome  her  for  two  reasons;  because 
she  is  willing  to  lend  a  helping  hand  as  may  be 
needed  and  because  she  lightens  the  monotony  of 
their  lives  with  her  Christian  encouragement.  The 
result  of  such  work  is  noticeable  on  the  adults,  but 
more  especially  on  the  children,  who  are  encouraged 
to  love  thp  deaconess  and  to  attend  church  and  Sun- 
dav  school. 

Deaconess  work  is  not  yet  accepted  by  many  of 
the  Magyar  congregations,  for  the  reason  that  a 
deaconess  trained  according  to  the  old-world  custom 


96  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

cannot  well  adapt  herself  to  American  conditions 
and  a  deaconess  trained  in  America  is  not  likely  to 
be  in  full  accord  with  the  minister  and  his  methods 
for  her  work.  Indications  are,  however,  that  dea 
coness  work  among  the  Magyar  people  can  be  made 
very  effective  for  the  welfare  of  the  women  and  for 
the  safety  of  the  second  generation. 

Unfortunately  the  deaconess  is  exposed  to  several 
hindrances  and  difficulties  in  her  work.  She  is  not 
only  hindered  by  the  opposition  of  the  head  of  the 
family,  but  being  a  sort  of  intermediary  between 
the  family  and  the  pastor,  she  is  too  often  made  the 
bearer  of  complaints  about  the  pastor  and  his  treat 
ment  of  the  people.  The  pastor,  of  course,  resents 
this  to  such  an  extent  that  recently  in  a  meeting  of 
pastors  action  was  taken  against  the  employment 
of  deaconesses,  of  course,  forgetting  that  it  is  easier 
to  legislate  in  America  than  to  pacify  a  discontented 
people. 

The  difficulties  involved  can  be  illustrated  by  a 
deaconess  employed  by  one  of  the  Reformed  Magyar 
missions.  She  is  the  daughter  of  an  efficient  Mag 
yar  minister  in  Hungary  and  therefore  understands 
the  European  conditions.  When  stationed  in  an 
American  manufacturing  city  she  visited  the  fami 
lies  and  sought  to  help  the  women  and  children  to 
more  cleanly  and  sanitary  living.  The  women 
claimed  they  were  too  busy  to  do  as  requested 
because  of  the  numerous  boarders  they  had  to  care 
for.  Of  course,  the  deaconess  advised  the  keeping 
of  less  boarders.  The  consequence  was  that  the 
man  requested  the  pastor  and  his  "presbyterium" 
to  dismiss  the  deaconess. 

" Curators." — The  ministers  are  not  the  only  re 
ligious  leaders  among  the  Magyar  churches.  The 
curators  are  to  be  reckoned  with  both  by  the  minis 
ter  and  by  the  members  of  the  congregation.  In 
civil  life  the  curator  is  usually  the  community 


REFORMED  WOMEN  S  SOCIETY   AT  THEIR   BUSINESS  MEETING 


NIGHT   SCHOOL   MAINTAINED   FOR   ADUI/TS   (STUDYING   ENGLISH) 


PRESENT   BUILDING  OF   ODDEST   MAGYAR  CHURCH    IN    AMERICA,  ORGANIZED 
MAY   1890,    EAST  SIDE,    CLEVELAND,    OHIO. 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         97 

leader.  He  may  be  a  merchant,  or  a  foreign  ex 
change  banker.  He  has  been  in  several  exceptional 
cases  a  saloon-keeper.  There  are  many  excellent 
men  serving  as  curators,  for  they  are  usually  the 
more  intelligent  men  who  are  looked  up  to  by  their 
fellow-members  of  the  church,  but  they,  too,  are  the 
victims  of  their  surroundings.  Either  their  prom 
inence  and  influence  becomes  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  of 
the  minister,  or  in  some  cases  the  minister  and  cu 
rator  join  their  efforts  in  limiting  the  freedom  of 
the  people.  The  curator  is  practically  the  head  of 
the  congregation  for  the  time  being.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  the  writer  that  it  were  much  better  if 
the  Magyar  churches  would  adopt  the  custom  of 
the  American  churches  and  have  an  equality  of  eld 
ers,  all  serving  as  advisers  to  the  pastor  rather  than 
one  man  to  hold  the  office. 

(c)   THE  VALLEY  OF  DECISION 

It  was  but  natural  that  during  the  war  the  Mag 
yars  in  America  should  be  feverishly  sensitive  to 
influences  from  the  homeland,  and  that  they  should 
also  chafe  under  restraints  in  America.  Their 
temperament,  their  nationalistic  attachment,  their 
patriotism,  their  anxiety  for  friends,  brothers,  aged 
parents,  all  contributed  to  make  them  so.  Compar 
atively  few  of  them  had  become  American  citizens 
and  even  in  those  who  had  been  naturalized  the  old 
flame  of  Magyar  patriotism  was  rekindled. 

During  the  earlier  part  of  the  war,  like  their  fel 
low  Magyars  at  home,  they  considered  the  war  a 
defensive  conflict  against  the  Balkan  Slavs  on  the 
south  and  the  Russian  Slavs  on  the  north  of  them 
between  whom  they  were  in  danger  of  being 
crushed.  Well  might  they  look  to  Austria  and  to 
Germany  for  deliverance.  Later  in  the  conflict, 
when  it  was  clearly  seen  that  Germany's  world  am- 


98  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

bition  was  her  motive  for  entering  the  war,  the 
Magyars  found  that  the  course  of  this  ambition  lay 
right  across  their  fertile  plains  and  along  their 
beautiful  rivers.  Toward  the  close  of  the  war  the 
Magyars  felt  that  their  would-be  friends,  Austria 
and  Germany,  were  sacrificing  them  for  their  own 
ambitions.  Finally  came  the  Versailles  Treaty  and 
with  it  the  loss  of  22  counties  of  Hungary  to  the 
Roumanians  and  of  several  counties  in  the  north 
and  several  counties  in  the  south  to  the  hated  Slavs ; 
and  with  these  went  about  two-thirds  of  the  Hun 
garian  population. 

All  these  sad  events  reacted  promptly  on  the  feel 
ings  of  Magyars  in  America.  Their  sensitiveness 
to  them  was  intensified  when  we  entered  the  war, 
by  the  consciousness  that  they  were  alien  enemies 
and  were  under  suspicion, — and  there  was  suspi 
cion.  There  had  been  so  much  propaganda  by  the 
nationals  of  Germany  that  naturally  the  Magyars 
were  also  suspected.  The  result  was  an  extensive 
propaganda  on  their  part  to  disprove  any  disloyalty 
to  the  United  States. 

The  Magyar  leaders  both  in  civil  and  in  church 
relations  sent  representatives  to  our  government 
for  this  purpose  and  on  one  occasion  at  least,  they 
gathered  about  2,000  of  their  people  from  all  parts 
of  the  country  to  hold  a  conference  in  Washington 
and  to  demonstrate  with  a  great  parade  their  loy 
alty.  The  addresses  at  the  conference  by  men  of 
their  own  nationality  and  by  American  friends  who 
had  known  them  long  and  well,  no  doubt  served  a 
good  purpose,  but  there  had  been  so  many  parades 
in  Washington  during  the  preceding  months  that 
2,000  men  made  a  slight  impression,  if  any,  on  the 
general  population  of  the  city. 

Another  disturbing  experience  by  the  Magyars 
in  America  during  this  time  was  the  knowledge  that 
all  their  public  assemblies  were  attended  by  repre- 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA         99 

sentatives  of  our  national  Secret  Service.  One  of 
these  men,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "Do  the  Mag 
yar  leaders  and  ministers  still  compare  Magyar 
religion  and  Magyar  life  and  customs  with  Ameri 
can  religion,  life  and  customs!"  said,  "No,  not  in 
these  times."  "Did  you  find  the  leaders  and  min 
isters  loyal  to  the  country  of  their  residence?" 
"Oh,  yes,  all  except  one  or  two,  whom  I  did  feel 
like  reporting,  but  simply  admonished  them." 

Not  only  were  the  Magyars  distressed  by  condi 
tions  in  the  homeland  and  by  suspicions  here,  but 
they  were  much  annoyed  by  seeing  and  coming  in 
contact  with  the  nationals  of  other  countries  fight 
ing  against  their  friends  at  home.  Some  illustra 
tions  may  be  interesting: 

The  writer  was  standing  one  evening  in  the  Penn 
sylvania  station,  Pittsburgh,  when  500  Czecho 
slovak  soldiers  in  their  neat  uniforms  were  tearing 
away  from  friends  to  enter  service  for  their  coun 
try  on  the  other  side.  The  scene  was  most  impres 
sive.  It,  however,  made  little  impression  on  a 
group  of  Magyars  present,  one  of  whom  commented : 
"They  make  too  much  noise.  They  don't  own  this 
station."  On  another  occasion  a  Magyar  objected 
to  his  Magyar  church  paper  because  it  was  being 
printed  and  issued  from  a  Czecho-Slovak  publish 
ing  house.  Again,  a  Magyar  minister  who  was  re 
quested  to  preach  to  a  group  of  his  own  countrymen 
who  came  from  a  Slovak  community  and  therefore 
were  more  familiar  with  the  Slovak  than  the  Mag 
yar  language,  refused,  saying,  "they  are  Magyars 
and  should  be  satisfied  with  the  preaching  of  their 
ancestors." 

Then  came  the  news  that  many  of  their  friends  and 
relatives  had  been  slain  or  were  taken  prisoner  in 
the  war,  and  they  were  asked  to  bring  relief  to  sur 
viving,  mourning,  poor  relatives.  We  may  well 
imagine  what  a  heart-searching  time  this  was.  Dis- 


100  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

appointed,  distressed  and  saddened  by  news  from 
home;  suspected  by  people  about  them  here;  and 
everywhere  men  of  other  and  to  them  enemy  nation 
alities  crossing  their  path;  longing  in  many  in 
stances  to  go  home  and  yet  they  could  not;  willing 
in  other  instances  to  become  American  citizens  and 
they  could  not.  This  was  not  only  a  time  of  dis 
tress  but  also  a  time  for  decision. 

When  the  United  States  entered  the  war  and 
mobilized  our  young  men  for  army  service  and  all 
our  workers  for  our  industries,  there  was  another 
test  of  loyalty  applied  to  the  Magyars  in  America. 
They  stood  it  well.  Very  few  of  them  lost  their 
jobs  and  many  of  them  decided  for  American  citi 
zenship  because  of  the  experience.  Quite  a  number 
of  Magyar  young  men  entered  the  army  and  saw 
service  in  Europe. 

Said  a  young  mechanic  in  Detroit,  pointing  to  a 
Liberty  Motor  on  which  he  had  worked:  "When  it 
comes  to  Liberty  Motors,  they  are  the  best  turned 
put.  They  will  work  for  liberty.  I  came  to  Amer 
ica  as  a  boy;  learned  my  trade  here;  married  a 
Hungarian  girl  and  have  two  children.  I  am  Amer 
ican  and  love  America  and  will  work  for  her." 

Another  illustration  of  loyalty  comes  from  the 
home  of  a  Magyar  minister  in  Connecticut.  Father 
and  mother  came  to  America  with  two  sons  25  years 
ago.  Two  more  sons  and  two  daughters  were  born 
in  America.  When  the  war  came  the  oldest  son 
was  a  minister  in  Ohio;  the  second  son  was  city 
clerk  in  the  city  of  his  residence;  another  son  was 
in  a  commercial  office ;  the  fourth  was  a  student  for 
the  ministry.  The  city  clerk  went  to  Plattsburg 
for  training  and  entered  the  army  and  served  in 
France  as  a  volunteer;  the  third  son  went  with  the 
first  draft  and  served  in  France ;  the  two  other  sons 
were  exempted. 

Helping  the  unfortunate. — This  time  of  testing 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  Jtf  .  AMEEjCA       101 


was  not  without  its  blessings.  It  (teyeto-jsed.  the 
benevolent  spirit  and  resulted  in  liberal  offerings 
for  the  suffering  and  sorrowing  in  the  home  land. 
Times  here  were  good.  The  men  worked  full  time 
at  high  wages.  In  their  prosperity  they  did  not 
forget  the  necessities  of  their  suffering  relatives. 
The  calls  for  such  help  came  soon  and  continued 
throughout  the  war  and  are  coming  still.  They  did 
not  fall  on  deaf  ears.  Liberal  gifts  were  sent  home 
by  individuals,  but  it  was  soon  found  that  they  did 
not  always  reach  their  destination.  The  remedy 
seemed  to  be  united  effort  and  the  transmission  of 
funds  in  larger  sums  and  by  more  responsible 
agencies.  So  the  Magyar  churches,  —  Eoman  Cath 
olic,  Eastern  Orthodox  and  Protestant,  held  united 
meetings  to  secure  funds  and  then  sent  them  home 
through  the  Swedish  consulate  or  the  Bed  Cross. 
The  sums  secured  in  this  way  were  astonishingly 
large.  The  sum  total  for  the  country  cannot  be 
given,  but  the  Magyar  churches  of  Toledo  held  meet 
ings  and  together  secured  $10,000  in  equal  parts 
from  the  three  churches  represented.  This  was 
done  on  two  successive  occasions.  No  doubt  other 
churches  in  other  places  did  equally  as  well. 

To  that  time  the  beneficiaries  of  this  benevolence 
were  the  people  in  Hungary  bereft  of  their  natural 
supporters  by  the  hazards  of  the  war.  After  the 
Versailles  Treaty,  however,  appeals  came  from  the 
Eeformed  and  Lutheran  churches  in  the  dissevered 
provinces  in  Transylvania  and  in  Czecho-Slovakia. 
Those  from  Transylvania,  now  a  part  of  Koumania, 
were  especially  distressing.  Churches  had  been 
confiscated,  schools  and  universities  had  been  taken 
from  the  Magyar  church  authorities,  and  ministers 
and  professors  had  been  deposed  or  banished  and 
in  many  instances  left  to  wander  about  as  mendi 
cants.  The  climax  of  sympathy  and  benevolence 
was  reached  when  representatives  from  the  suffer- 


102  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

ing  movinees  and  members  of  commissions  from 
other  lands  who  had  gone  to  investigate  and  con 
firm  reports,  came  to  this  country  and  appealed  to 
the  Protestant  churches.  This  appeal  not  only 
brought  relief  offerings  from  the  Magyars  but  sev 
eral  of  the  large  Protestant  churches  sent  special 
gifts  for  relief  and  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches 
sent  a  commission  to  investigate  and  to  help  and 
has  since  then  appealed  to  the  liberality  of  Ameri 
can  Christians  in  behalf  of  their  suffering  co-relig 
ionists. 

Return  to  the  homeland. — The  irresistible  pres 
sure  of  longing  became  so  great  that  as  soon  as 
possible  the  stream  of  emigration  began.  Husbands 
with  families,  sons  with  parents,  or  brothers  and 
sisters  in  the  homeland  were  the  first  to  go, — and 
go  they  did,  notwithstanding  the  warnings  of 
friends  and  the  hardships  and  dangers  awaiting 
them.  Most  of  those  in  the  first  contingent  ex 
pected  to  return  to  America  with  their  relatives. 

A  second  contingent  went  when  they  learned  that 
the  large  estates  were  being  divided  and  sold  in 
small  portions  and  on  easy  terms,  so  they  took  their 
hard-earned  savings  and  invested  them  in  the  land 
of  their  birth.  The  dull  times  here  added  largely 
to  this  stream;  rather  than  eat  up  their  savings  they 
would  share  them  with  their  poor  and  needy  rela 
tives  at  home. 

Their  experiences  have  not  justified  their  expec 
tations.  If  they  had  come  to  America  without 
having  served  their  time  in  the  army  they  were  at 
once  pressed  into  service;  even  their  American  cit 
izenship  did  not  release  them  from  their  earlier  ob 
ligation.  Those  who  purchased  land  found  that 
though  the  land  was  cheap  the  taxes  were  outra 
geously  high.  Those  who  expected  to  return  to 
America  found  that  they  could  not  get  passports 
and  even  if  they  arrived  at  the  port  of  entrance 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA       103 

they  often  found  the  quota  permitted  to  enter,  ac 
cording  to  our  present  law,  had  been  filled,  so  that 
their  relatives,  even  if  they  themselves  were  eligible 
for  admission,  were  held  up  for  weeks  and  some 
times  for  months  before  being  permitted  to  leave 
Ellis  Island. 

Effect  of  emigration  on  Magyar  organizations  in 
America. — This  great  exodus  and  the  very  small 
stream  of  those  returning  or  bringing  others  very 
seriously  affected  all  organizations  of  Magyars  in 
America,  but  the  churches  suffered  most.  The 
lodges  lost  members  and  the  dues  which  they  paid. 
But  the  dues  were  comparatively  small  sums.  Then, 
too,  the  reduced  membership  also  reduced  the  liabil 
ities  of  the  lodges  proportionately.  With  the 
churches  it  was  worse.  They  lost  largely  in  mem 
bers;  some  of  them  more  than  a  majority.  An  ex 
treme  example  is  shown  by  the  churches  in  the  coke 
region  of  Pennsylvania.  A  Eeformed  congregation 
in  Uniontown,  Pa.,  reported  in  1920  a  membership 
of  261.  It  had  dwindled  to  87  in  the  next  annual 
report.  The  members  had  been  liberal  contributors 
both  to  current  expenses  and  to  the  buying  of  a  fine 
church.  Some  of  them  had  loaned  to  the  congre 
gation  their  savings  without  interest  for  a  period 
of  five  years.  When  work  in  the  region  ceased  the 
exodus  began.  The  few  members  who  remained 
had  little  or  no  work  and  could  not  pay  their  church 
dues.  Those  who  had  loaned  money  to  the 
church  and  then  emigrated  called  their  loans  and 
left  the  fewer  and  poorer  members  to  bear  the  heavy 
burdens.  Only  the  liberal  help  of  the  various 
Boards  of  Home  Missions  made  it  possible  for  these 
congregations  to  survive. 

But  not  all  the  Magyar  churches  in  America  could 
expect  such  help.  A  few  of  them  under  the  care  of 
American  Protestant  Boards  had  become  self-sup 
porting  and  only  dire  necessity  drove  them  to  ac- 


104  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

cept  help.  More  distressing  still  was  the  lot  Oi 
about  29  congregations  which  had  been  for  about 
15  years  under  the  care  and  support  of  the  Ke- 
formed  Church  of  Hungary.  When  the  war  came 
their  financial  support  was  withheld  and  for  more 
than  two  years  no  help  came  from  the  home  church. 
They  suffered  the  same  or  larger  loss  of  members 
than  the  congregations  connected  with  the  Ameri 
can  churches.  The  members  remaining  were  sub 
ject  to  the  same  adverse  circumstances.  They 
could  endure  no  longer,  so  in  the  spring  of  1919  they 
sought  refuge  in  some  American  Protestant  church. 
The  time  of  decision  had  come. 

Growing  democracy. — The  Magyars  like  all  other 
immigrants  felt  their  old  nationalistic  and  ecclesi 
astical  foundations  yielding  under  their  feet.  A 
new  spirit  manifested  itself.  The  conservatives  and 
reactionaries  had  gone  home;  the  progressives  saw 
democracy  in  the  ascendant.  Monarchies  in  Eu 
rope  were  toppling;  democracies  succeeded  them. 
Everybody  in  America  spoke  or  wrote  about  free 
dom,  liberty,  self-determination,  self-government 
and  Americanization.  Great  Magyar  papers  like 
the  Szabadsag  (Liberty]  joined  in  the  common  cry. 
The  homeland  itself  had  become  a  republic.  Many 
young  men  had  been  in  training  camps  or  had  served 
in  the  army  in  Europe  "to  make  the  world  safe  for 
democracy. ' ' 

The  result  was  a  desire  to  become  Americanized 
and  secure  citizenship.  Everywhere  young  men 
and  even  men  of  middle  age  joined  Americanization 
classes.  The  best  illustration  of  this  process  was 
probably  the  Americanization  work  carried  on  in 
Akron,  Ohio.  The  great  rubber  factories  had  spe 
cial  classes.  Magyar  teachers  and  one  Magyar 
Protestant  minister  were  employed  and  rendered 
excellent  service.  A  Commencement  was  held  at 
the  close  of  the  term  in  the  auditorium  of  one  of 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA       105 

the  High  Schools,  where  the  students  came  and  sat 
in  groups  representing  different  nationalities. 
Each  group  carried  an  American  flag  and  their  own 
nationalistic  banner.  Each  nationality  took  part  in 
the  program,  which  consisted  of  recitations  by  the 
several  nationalities.  The  Magyar  class  was  one  of 
the  largest.  All  the  classes  acquitted  themselves 
very  well.  No  doubt  equally  good  work  was  done 
by  similar  classes  elsewhere. 

*  The  second  generation. — Growing  democracy  was 
not  only  manifest  in  civil  relations  but  also  in  the 
churches.  Magyar  congregations,  Eoman  Catholic, 
Eastern  Orthodox  and  Protestant  alike  felt  its  in 
fluence.  These  churches  had  existed  in  America  for 
a  generation.  For  about  two  decades  they  were 
served  acceptably  by  priests  and  pastors  from  Hun 
gary.  The  relation  of  these  men  to  their  flocks 
was  the  same  as  that  in  the  homeland.  As  the  peo 
ple  knew  only  the  Magyar  language,  they  never 
went  to  American  churches  and  seldom  associated 
with  Americans.  During  the  war,  either  by  com 
pulsion  or  by  choice  they  came  in  touch  with  re 
ligious  workers  of  other  churches  and  of  all 
denominations.  For  a  decade  before  that  their 
children  had  been  in  the  American  schools  and  some 
of  them  went  to  American  Sunday  schools  and  were 
attracted  by  the  people  they  met  and  the  services 
they  attended.  They  were  especially  pleased  with 
the  singing  of  our  Gospel  Hymns.  Thus  they  were 
more  and  more  attracted  to  the  American  churches 
and  to  the  same  degree  became  dissatisfied  with  the 
churches  of  their  parents.  Their  growing  Ameri 
can  ideas,  their  association  with  the  American  Sun 
day  school  work  are  now  increasingly  a  disturbing 
factor  in  Magyar  church  life. 

Wise  pastors  see  this  and  judiciously  adapt  their 
work  to  the  situation.  All  the  Protestant  Magyar 
congregations  now  have  Sunday  schools;  most  of 


106  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

them  have  Young  People's  Societies;  many  of  them 
have  introduced  in  the  Sunday  services  some 
Gospel  songs  or  some  standard  hymns.  These  are 
translated  into  Magyar  but  are  sung  to  the  original 
music.  The  parents  enjoy  them  as  much  as  the 
children. 

Unfortunately  not  all  ministers  and  priests  see 
the  coming  storm  and  persist  in  working  as  they 
ever  have  done,  even  though  the  children  are  lost 
to  their  churches.  Sadder  still  is  the  fact  that  an 
unusually  large  number  of  these  discontented  young 
people  do  not  enter  the  English  churches  and  are 
lost  to  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 

"When,  however,  the  war  came,  the  congregations 
of  the  Hungarian  Reformed  Church  in  America 
were  shut  off  from  their  source  of  support  and  were 
at  the  same  time  under  suspicion  of  being  anti- 
American.  As  all  of  the  congregations  had  stoutly 
insisted  on  being  Reformed  in  the  homeland,  and  as 
a  number  of  them  had  been  organized  by  the  Re 
formed  and  Presbyterian  churches,  it  was  but  nat 
ural  that  they  should  apply  to  these  two  churches 
for  admission  when  the  time  of  separation  from 
home  had  come.  Requests  to  that  effect  were  made 
by  their  representatives  here  of  both  the  Presby 
terian  and  Reformed  churches  in  the  spring  of 
1919,  which,  however,  did  not  reach  them. 

During  this  long  interval  of  negotiation  with  the 
Reformed  Church  of  Hungary,  to  which  they  be 
longed,  and  with  the  congregations  here,  several 
divisive  influences  in  the  congregations  arose  and 
several  divisive  movements  were  started. 

First  there  was  a  movement  of  the  larger  and  self- 
supporting  congregations  to  establish  an  indepen 
dent  denomination.  This  failed  because  only  a 
minority  of  the  congregations  were  strong  enough 
to  support  themselves;  much  less  could  they  give 
the  necessary  financial  help  to  the  smaller  congre- 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA       107 

gallons  who  constituted  the  majority.  The  project 
was  abandoned. 

A  movement  then  started  to  affiliate  with  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  The  result  of  this 
movement  so  far  is  that  of  the  congregations  who 
did  not  enter  the  Keformed  or  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  6  declared  themselves  independent  and  6 
have  entered  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

The  result  of  the  transfer  of  the  Hungarian  Re- 
formed  Church  in  America  is  therefore  that  in  the 
Western  Classis,  14  congregations  have  with  two 
exceptions  united  as  a  body  with  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States.  The  two  exceptions 
being  now  independent  congregations.  Seven  con 
gregations  of  the  Eastern  Classis  have  united  with 
the  same  church.  The  remaining  congregations 
have  either  become  Episcopalian  or  are  still  inde 
pendent.  The  total  membership  of  the  congrega 
tions  going  into  the  several  churches  are:  to  the 
Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,  19  congre 
gations,  6,500  communicants,  and  25,600  adherents, 
and  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  6  congregations  and 
1,141  communicants. 

One  cannot  but  regret  the  long  drawn-out  nego 
tiations  and  the  various  movements  which  promise 
only  long-continued  contentions  in  the  congregations 
and  between  the  ministers  and  people  of  one  congre 
gation  with  those  of  another. 

(D)  FORMS  OF  RELIGIOUS  APPROACH 

In  considering  the  forms  of  religious  approach  to 
the  Magyars  in  America  it  must  be  recognized  that 
they  all  belonged  to  some  church  at  home,  and  that 
in  the  homeland  there  was  little  or  no  transition 
from  one  form  of  Christian  religion  to  the  other. 

Furthermore,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  here 
in  America  the  Magyars  who  were  Roman  Catholic 


108  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

or  Eastern  Orthodox  (Greek)  soon  sought  and  in 
many  instances  secured  the  organization  of  congre 
gations,  and  that  those  belonging  to  Protestant 
Christianity  also  soon  sought  help  and  secured  it 
from  several  Home  Mission  Boards  and  so  from  the 
beginning  were  able  to  organize  congregations. 

The  method  of  approach  must  be  modified  accord 
ingly.  It  must  aim  at  acquaintance  with  the  group, 
the  congregation.  It  must  recognize  the  excel 
lencies  in  the  congregation  before  it  can  correct 
whatever  failings  there  may  be  found  in  the  work 
of  the  Magyar  churches.  It  must  give  due  credit 
to  the  organic  character  and  strength  of  these  con 
gregations  and  then  gradually  introduce  the 
changes  needed  to  adapt  their  work  to  American 
social  and  religious  conditions.  The  process  may 
be  slow,  but  its  success  is  assured. 

Another  method  of  approach  is  what  may  be  called 
the  individual  method,  that  is,  an  approach  to  indi 
viduals  and  families  irrespective  of  their  former 
or  present  professed  church  affiliations.  This  has 
not  been  found  very  successful  among  Magyars  in 
America  for  the  one  reason  above  intimated,  aver 
sion  against  proselyting,  and  the  other  because  it 
arouses  the  opposition  of  the  Magyar  community 
and  especially  of  the  Magyar  congregations  of  any 
religion  recognized  in  the  homeland,  most  especially 
of  the  ministers  who  may  fear  the  disintegration  of 
their  congregations. 

Social  settlement. — This  form  of  approach  to  the 
Magyar  people  is  usually  welcomed  as  a  means  of 
community  betterment  and  especially  as  a  means  of 
protection  to  the  morals  of  childhood.  Magyar 
parents  as  a  rule  will  send  their  children  to  the  set 
tlement  to  learn  English;  to  receive  moral  instruc 
tion;  or  to  become  familiar  with  American  customs. 
They  are  not,  however,  satisfied  with  social  settle 
ment  work  as  a  means  of  religious  approach  either 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA       109 

to  children  or  adults.  They  say,  "It  is  good,  but 
why  is  it  named  after  this  or  that  church.  If  these 
American  churches  have  these  settlement  houses 
under  their  own  name  and  by  the  support  of  their 
denomination,  why  should  not  we  have  such  settle 
ment  houses  of  our  own?" 

There  are  several  places  where  they  have  actually 
undertaken  such  work.  The  Presbyterian  Magyar 
Mission  in  New  York  has  such  a  settlement  house 
of  its  own  on  East  116th  St.  It  is  supported  by 
the  New  York  Presbytery,  but  to  all  intents  and  pur 
poses  it  is  a  Magyar  settlement  house  run  under  the 
direction  of  the  Magyar  minister. 

The  Magyar  Reformed  Church  in  Bridgeport  has 
several  times  undertaken  such  work  but  thus  far 
could  not  carry  it  forward  to  their  satisfaction  for 
lack  of  a  building.  They  are  now  planning  to  pur 
chase  a  building  for  the  purpose. 

The  Magyar  Reformed  Church  in  Toledo  has  had 
a  congregational  house  in  which  they  have  been  do 
ing  such  work  for  a  number  of  years,  and  they  were 
probably  the  first  to  do  Social  Settlement  work  in 
the  foreign  community  in  that  city.  They  have 
done  reasonably  well,  too,  but  have  failed  to  do  what 
they  desire,  for  lack  of  trained  workers,  and  pos 
sibly,  too,  because  inter-racial  and  inter-denomina 
tional  prejudices  have  hindered  the  work. 

As  a  means  of  showing  and  exercising  the  spirit 
of  American  Christianity  for  the  good  of  alien  peo 
ple  and  their  community  the  social  settlement  is 
most  commendable.  We  cannot,  however,  but  re 
gret  that  it  is  sometimes  done  under  denominational 
banners  when  it  would  be  much  more  acceptable  to 
the  people  and  more  effective  for  their  good  if  this 
tag  were  not  attached.  We  fully  appreciate  what 
Peter  Roberts  says  in  "The  New  Immigration," 
speaking  of  the  work  of  the  churches,  pp.  318-319: 

"If  only  it  could  divest  itself  of  the  trammels  of 


110  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

ecclesiastical  bigotry  and  denominational  exclusive- 
ness.  .  .  .  Every  man  who  believes  in  the  eternal 
verities,  mourns  the  loss  of  faith  in  spiritual  reali 
ties  incident  to  the  coming  of  the  immigrant  to 
America,  but  is  it  not  largely  due  to  the  divisions 
among  men  who  profess  in  this  enlightened  country 
to  follow  the  same  Lord?" 

In  a  small  town  in  western  Pennsylvania  with  a 
population  of  about  8,000  including  the  vicinity 
where  many  foreign-born  people  live,  one  of  the 
denominations  was  so  successful  that  they  have 
$12,000  or  $15,000  left  for  use  in  the  community. 
First  impulse  dictated  the  erection  of  a  community 
house  for  social  settlement  work.  More  recent 
sentiment  has  caused  a  pause  with  the  probable  re 
sult  that  other  denominations  will  be  challenged  to 
join  in  the  erection  of  a  building  more  adequate  for 
the  requirements  and  not  limited  by  any  denomina 
tional  designation.  May  the  project  be  realized! 

Street  evangelism. — Evangelism  of  any  sort  awak 
ens  the  suspicion  and  sometimes  the  reproof  or  even 
the  ridicule  of  Magyars  in  general.  At  home  it 
meant  antagonism  to  the  established  church,  an  ef 
fort  either  to  discount  the  sincerity  and  efficiency  of 
the  minister  and  church  dignitaries  or  an  attempt 
to  live  a  life  presumably  superior  without  the  help 
of  the  church. 

The  fact  as  told  by  the  Magyar  ministers  in 
America  fe  that  the  Eef ormed  Church  of  Hungary, 
while  it  is  evangelical,  is  not  evangelistic,  and  op 
poses  any  evangelistic  effort.  The  chief  and  only 
aim  of  the  church,  they  seem  to  think,  is  to  see  to  it 
that  all  the  children  born  into  Protestant  homes  shall 
be  brought  up  "in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord"  according  to  the  promises  given  by  the 
parents  or  sponsors  at  the  time  of  baptism.  Of 
course,  in  a  state  where  every  one  is  required  to 
register  in  some  church,  this  attitude  is  very  nat- 


RELIGIOUS  CONDITIONS  IN  AMERICA       111 

ural.  Unfortunately,  when  these  people  come  to 
America,  where  people  can  do  as  they  please  con 
cerning  church  affiliation,  this  is  not  enough,  for 
many  wander  away  from  the  church  or  become 
coldly  indifferent.  Magyar  missionaries  therefore 
speak  more  favorably  of  church  evangelism. 

Church  evangelism. — These  missionaries  welcome 
such  evangelists,  but  say  it  largely  devolves  on  the 
pastor  to  carry  it  forward.  They  hope  to  have  it 
as  soon  as  efficient  leaders  can  be  trained.  There 
are,  however,  at  present  a  number  of  hindrances. 
Members  of  the  churches  say  there  is  no  need  for  it 
because  all  the  Magyars  in  America  do  belong  to 
the  church.  Other  ministers  themselves  say  there 
is  no  need  for  it  because  they  conduct  each  year  a 
series  of  special  penitential  services  during  the  sea 
son  of  Lent  and  preach  special  sermons  to  win  back 
the  indifferent.  Another  question  is,  "Who  shall  be 
the  evangelist?"  He  must  be  an  ordained  minister 
and  he  must  be  able  to  speak  the  Magyar  language. 

Institutional  church. — What  was  said  about  street 
evangelism  among  the  Magyars  applies  also  to  the 
institutional  church.  It  is  to  them  not  only  a  new 
method  of  approach  but  an  unsatisfactory  com 
mingling  of  religion  and  play ;  of  the  sacred  and  the 
secular.  They  welcome  the  efforts  of  the  institu 
tional  church  to  teach  all  forms  of  family,  commu 
nity  and  civic  betterment;  are  pleased  to  have  their 
boys  taught  manual  training  and  their  girls  needle 
work,  but  these  things  to  them  are  not  reli^on. 
They  should  not  be  taught  in  church  but  in  school. 

Having  reminded  a  Magyar  minister  of  the  suc 
cess  of  the  Labor  Temple  in  New  York,  he  remarked 
that  while  it  was  acceptable  to  many  foreign-born 
people,  it  does  not  appeal  to  the  Magyars  and  does 
not  reach  them  effectively. 


Chapter  VI 
SPECIAL  PROBLEMS 

(A)    LEADEKSHIP   OF   FOREIGN   LANGUAGE   CHURCHES 

The  first  Protestant  missionaries  to  work  among 
the  Magyars  in  America  were  young  men  from  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Debreczin.  They  were 
called  by  the  Home  Mission  Boards  of  the  Reformed 
and  Presbyterian  Churches  upon  the  recommenda 
tion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Balogh,  Professor  of  Church  His 
tory.  His  recommendations  were  very  reliable. 
The  young  men  came  with  excellent  training,  fine 
culture  and  the  fervor  and  enthusiasm  of  youth. 
When,  however,  they  were  thrust  into  the  new  con 
ditions,  into  the  congested  industrial  centers  where 
the  people  lived,  they  were  for  some  time  hardly 
equal  to  the  task.  Their  work  was  largely  an  effort 
to  conduct  church  work  after  the  plans  prevailing 
in  Hungary.  The  result  was  that  the  people  suf 
fered  for  lack  of  pastoral  attention  and  in  many 
instances  lost  their  interest  in  religion.  It  was, 
however,  remarkable  how  soon  most  of  these  trained 
men  adapted  themselves  to  conditions  in  which  they 
found  themselves.  They  became  the  advisers  of 
their  people  in  all  sorts  of  needs.  Did  a  newcomer 
want  a  job?  He  went  to  the  minister  and  received 
help  in  getting  it.  Did  he  get  into  any  sort  of 
trouble  with  the  civil  authorities?  The  pastor 
helped  him  out.  Was  he  about  to  buy  a  property! 
The  pastor  saw  to  it  that  he  was  not  cheated.  Was 
he  hurt  in  the  mill  or  the  mine?  The  pastor  at  once 
went  to  the  hospital  to  protect  him  from  the  wiles 

of  the  claim  agent  or  the  representative  of  the  cor- 

112 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  113 

poration,  who  might  wish  him  to  sign  a  release.  In 
addition  to  all  this  the  pastor  assumed  the  duty  of 
teaching  the  Vacation  Bible  School  lor  die  children 
of  the  Magyar  community  irrespective  ui'  religious 
affiliation.  Unfortunately  there  was  not  enough 
time,  and  possibly  not  enough  knowledge  of  social 
and  industrial  conditions  among  his  people,  to  se 
cure  for  them  conditions  of  recreation  and  social 
betterment  so  much  needed  in  every  foreign-born 
community. 

Ministers  of  kin:  trained  abroad. — The  unanimous 
opinion  of  Magyar  ministers  and  Magyar  people 
alike  is  that  the  minister  of  their  own  kin  is  best 
qualified  for  the  work.  They  give  a  number  of  rea 
sons  for  this  opinion.  First,  only  a  minister  of  kin 
has  the  educational  qualifications.  He  knows  not 
only  the  language  but  also  the  peculiarities  of  the 
people.  He  has  been  trained  for  this  as  a  life  work 
and  therefore  uses  good  literary  style  and  accept 
able  Magyar  delivery  of  the  sermon.  He  knows  the 
doctrines  and  customs  of  the  church.  He  is  there 
fore  recognized  as  worthy  to  lead  the  people.  Again 
the  minister  is  not  only  their  spiritual  guide  but  also 
their  adviser  in  business  affairs.  They  can  confer 
with  a  man  of  their  own  kin  much  more  satisfac 
torily  than  with  a  man  of  American  birth  and  train 
ing.  He  will  enjoy  their  confidence  to  a  much  larger 
degree  than  an  American-born  man. 

Ministers  of  kin:  trained  in  America. — There  are 
now  a  number  of  trained  men  of  kin  in  America 
who  have  entered  the  ministry  among  the  Magyar 
people.  Are  not  these  better  fitted  for  the  above- 
mentioned  services  than  the  foreign-trained  min 
ister?  The  opinions  of  the  Magyar  people  differ 
on  the  question.  It  depends  largely  upon  the  man 
himself.  Can  he  use  the  Magyar  language  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  people  or  is  he  perhaps  able  to 
use  only  the  colloquial  which  he  learned  on  the  farm 


114  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

or  in  the  shop!  Possibly  even  this  common  lan 
guage  has  been  forgotten  or  corrupted  since  coming 
to  America.  Besides  this  he  is  known  by  the  people 
as  a  peasant  or  a  shop  man  even  after  he  has  be 
come  educated  for  the  ministry.  The  prejudice  is 
unjust  but  it  is  very  real. 

Ministers  of  kin:  trained  both  here  and  abroad. — 
Again  there  are  ministers  in  the  Magyar  work  who 
got  their  literary  training  in  the  home  land  and  their 
theological  training  in  America.  These  are,  all 
things  considered,  the  best  qualified  men.  They 
know  the  European  backgrounds  well;  they  know 
the  peculiar  temperament  of  their  parishioners; 
they  are  familiar  with  church  customs  and  cere 
monies  ;  they  enter  into  the  social  life  of  the  congre 
gation  and  yet  live  above  the  average  of  their  people 
and  so  secure  the  respect  a  minister  needs. 

Their  American  theological  training  enables  them 
to  adapt  their  teaching  and  work  to  the  new 
surroundings ;  it  gives  them  a  new  idea  of  pastoral 
relation  to  the  people;  it  encourages  more  friendly 
relations  between  the  Magyar  and  the  American 
community;  and  it  encourages  them  to  adapt  their 
church  life  and  work  more  harmoniously  with  that 
of  the  nearby  American  congregations  and  so  has 
a  tendency  to  keep  the  young  people  in  the  same 
congregation  with  their  parents,  for  the  benefit  of 
both.  Wherever  such  men  of  kin  have  been  working 
there  is  found  the  adoption  of  the  excellencies  of 
American  church  life  without  the  loss  of  the  excel 
lencies  brought  from  the  home  land.  There  will  be 
Sunday  school  work;  Y.P.S.C.E.;  Mission  Societies; 
vacation  Bible  school  work  after  the  American  plan, 
without  the  loss  of  earnest  work  on  the  part  of  par 
ents  and  children  in  its  behalf;  and  even  in  the  mat 
ter  of  church  music  there  will  be  the  use  of  some  of 
our  American  Gospel  Hymns  in  addition  to  the 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  115 

stately  choral  music  so  much  loved  by  the  adults. 
The  result  is  acceptable  to  both  youth  and  adult. 

The  supply  of  ministers  in  any  church  or  any 
language  is  limited,  and  is  very  much  so  as  concerns 
Magyar  ministers.  There  was  a  time  when  well- 
trained  ministers  could  be  secured  from  Europe. 
So,  too,  in  the  earlier  history  of  Magyar  mission 
work  there  were  more  young  Magyar  men  entering 
our  seminaries.  But  the  same  tendency  which  keeps 
young  men  of  American  birth  from  studying  for  the 
ministry  affects  the  Magyar  young  men.  The  result 
is  that  of  late  years  it  has  been  necessary  to  train 
and  ordain  young  men  without  having  had  full  lit 
erary  training.  Some  of  these  have  become  excel 
lent  workers  because  of  their  earnestness  and  devo 
tion.  Their  work  has  been  made  doubly  difficult 
because  of  the  prejudices  of  the  people  above  re 
ferred  to.  In  addition  to  the  attitude  of  the  people 
is  the  prejudice  of  the  European-trained  ministers, 
who  quote  their  long  years  of  preparation  in  com 
parison  to  the  short  time  given  to  preparation  in 
America.  As  one  of  them  said  to  the  writer,  con 
cerning  a  young  man  who  was  thus  preparing  and 
who  was  at  the  time  teaching  in  the  vacation  Bible 
school,  "He  will  never  make  a  minister.  He  is  only 
a  peasant,  and  what  can  you  make  of  a  peasant !" 
The  answer  for  which  the  speaker  evidently  waited 
was :  "I  don't  know  what  you  can  make  of  a  peas 
ant  in  Hungary,  but  in  America  we  have  made  sen 
ators,  presidents,  judges,  and  prominent  ministers 
out  of  many  of  them.  This  young  man  is  in  Amer 
ica,  and  if  he  will  do  his  part  we  will  make  an  ef 
fective  minister  for  the  Magyar  people  out  of  him." 

American  men  trained  abroad. — One  more  method 
of  securing  qualified  ministers  for  Magyar  work 
needs  to  be  considered:  that  of  American  men 
trained  in  foreign  lands.  This  has  been  done  in  a 


116  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

few  instances  with  good  results,  and  yet  it  is  noc 
satisfactory  to  the  Magyar  people.  They  speak 
highly  of  the  fine  spirit  and  warm  hearts  of  these 
young  men,  but  still  think  they  cannot  make  them 
selves  understood  like  a  man  of  their  own  national 
ity.  The  Magyar  language,  they  say,  is  so  difficult 
that  the  young  men  do  not  remain  in  Hungary  long 
enough  to  learn  it.  The  talents  of  such  young  men 
can,  however,  find  a  field  for  good  service  in  their 
association  with  Magyar  ministers  whom  they  can 
influence  to  modify  their  work  according  to  the 
American  requirements.  Would  not  such  young 
men  make  excellent  teachers  in  our  seminaries,  ex 
cellent  teachers  and  organizers  for  American  Sun 
day  School  work  and  for  Y.P.S.C.E.  work? 

An  American  minister  whom  we  have  known  for 
a  number  of  years  and  who  was  located  in  a  town 
in  western  Pennsylvania,  where  there  were  many 
Magyars,  had  committed  to  memory  the  marriage, 
the  baptism,  and  the  funeral  services  of  the  Magyar 
Reformed  Church.  He  rehearsed  them  to  an  intel 
ligent  Magyar  till  he  had  ability  to  use  them  accept 
ably,  and  then  officiated  whenever  asked  by  Magyar 
people,  but  he  never  ventured  to  preach  in  Magyar. 
Another  American  minister  went  a  step  farther,  and 
undertook  to  preach  in  Magyar,  but  discontinued 
when  he  was  told  of  a  ludicrous  mistake  he  had 
made.  He  was  speaking  about  angels,  and  thought 
he  had  said,  "All  the  angels  are  in  heaven,"  when 
he  really  had  said,  "All  the  Englishmen  are  in 
heaven. ' ' 

There  is  another  American  minister  who  has, 
however,  preached  for  some  years  to  Magyar  con 
gregations.  He  gives  this  as  his  method  of  prepar 
ing  the  sermon:  After  preparing  it  in  English  he 
takes  the  concordance  and  finds  a  scripture  passage 
for  each  thought  of  the  sermon.  He  then  looks  up 
the  passage  in  the  Magyar  Bible  and  transcribes  it 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  117 

for  the  Magyar  sermon.  The  method  commends 
itself  for  the  faithful  efforts  of  the  preacher  and  no 
doubt  impressed  the  people  with  its  scriptural  form. 
These  considerations  raise  the  question  as  to 
whether  it  were  not  better  to  expect  the  Magyar 
people  to  affiliate  themselves  at  once  with  the  Eng 
lish  congregation  in  the  community  whose  services 
are  nearest  to  those  in  the  homeland  in  devotional 
character;  where  they  might  find  the  order  of  the 
church  year  and  might  come  prepared  by  having 
read  the  scripture  lessons  designated  for  the  day; 
where  they  might  hear  the  choral  music  to  which 
they  are  accustomed  in  their  own  churches  and 
where  the  people  assume  a  devotional  attitude  in 
prayer  with  which  they  are  familiar.  They  would 
for  a  time  miss  the  effect  of  the  sermon  but  their 
very  thirst  for  it  might  be  an  incentive  for  the 
learning  of  English.  Besides  this,  their  children 
would  more  promptly  come  into  fellowship  with 
American  church  life  and  would  not  have  the  ten 
dency  to  wander  away  from  the  church  of  the 
parents  because  they, — the  children, — did  not  appre 
ciate  the  more  solemn  character  of  the  service. 

(B)    FORMS  OF  RELIGIOUS  BKEAK-UP 

There  is  in  fact  very  little  formal  religious  break 
up  among  the  Magyar  people.  It  is  rare  to  find  a 
man  or  woman  among  them  who  declares  himself  a 
freethinker1  or  atheist.  There  are,  however,  two 
pronounced  tendencies  almost  as  bad  as  these.  The 
first  is  a  formal  religion  in  connection  with  the 
Church.  Many  Magyar  men  think  and  speak  of 
themselves  as  "good  churchmen "  when  they  go  to 
church  occasionally,  contribute  for  the  support  of 
the  church  and  take  the  Lord's  supper  once  or  twice 
a  year.  Too  many  of  them  think  of  the  Church 
rather  as  a  national  institution  whereby  Magyarism 


118  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

may  be  perpetuated  even  in  America.  They  even 
speak  at  times  of  Magyar  Protestant  religion  as  if 
it  were  a  distinct  form  of  religion  with  a  peculiarly 
strong  Magyar  flavor. 

The  other  tendency  is  that  of  indifference  to  the 
claims  of  the  Church  and  of  the  formalities  of  re 
ligion  entirely.  They  have  been  away  from  the  in 
fluence  of  the  Church  as  it  was  in  Hungary  for  a 
long  time.  They  live  now  in  some  small  out-of-the- 
way  mining  town  where  there  may  be  no  church 
buildings  of  any  kind;  where  the  familiar  sound  of 
the  church  bell  is  never  heard ;  or  if  this  is  not  liter 
ally  the  situation,  the  churches  in  the  community  are 
small  buildings,  often  in  bad  repair,  and  the  Ameri 
can  pastors  come  only  occasionally,  preach  a  sermon, 
and  are  not  seen  again  during  the  week.  Most 
serious  of  all,  the  church  of  their  own  choice,  and 
preaching  in  a  language  which  they  can  understand, 
is  not  within  ten  or  twenty  miles  of  the  place. 

Sunday  is  therefore  spent  in  a  social  gathering 
with  their  fellow-countrymen,  in  games  and  sport 
and  drinking  and,  too  often,  fighting.  Eeligion  is 
the  last  thing  to  claim  attention,  and  before  long  it 
has  died  out  of  remembrance  and  practice. 
Churches  wishing  to  help  these  people  should  em 
ploy  a  sufficient  number  of  traveling  missionaries  to 
visit  the  community  twice  a  month  at  least.  He 
should  remain  with  the  people  for  several  days  at  a 
time  so  as  to  come  into  close  touch  with  them  socially 
as  well  as  religiously. 

Here,  too,  is  an  open  and  important  field  for  the 
work  of  the  deaconess.  She  can  help  keep  the  home 
clean,  moral  and  religious.  She  will  have  freer  and 
fuller  contact  with  the  home  life  than  is  possible  to 
the  minister  himself. 

Religious  realignment. — As  a  matter  of  fact  there 
is  very  little  realignment  either  in  Europe  or  Amer 
ica.  It  is  not  thought  right  in  Europe  to  change 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  119 

from  one  religion  to  another.  Jew  remains  Jew, 
and  is  respected  for  his  adherence  to  the  faith ;  Cath 
olic  remains  Catholic,  and  seldom  becomes  Protes 
tant;  and  Protestant  remains  loyal  to  his  church 
though  he  may  be  greatly  displeased  with  its  man 
agement,  its  doctrines,  or  its  ministers.  People  who 
do  change  are  suspected  of  ulterior  motives. 

Much  the  same  feeling  exists  in  America  among 
the  first  generation  of  Magyars,  though  there  are 
more  frequent  changes  than  at  home  just  because 
there  is  more  change  among  members  of  the  Amer 
ican  churches.  Changes  from  one  type  of  Protes 
tantism  to  another  are  somewhat  more  frequent  but 
are  hardly  more  than  the  exception  to  the  rule  of 
loyalty  to  the  denomination,  a  change  from  which 
is  sometimes  designated  as  violation  of  the  faith. 

When,  however,  the  Magyar  family  is  too  far 
away  from  a  church  of  its  own  denomination  or 
language  they  go  to  an  American  church  for  wor 
ship,  even  though  they  may  not  understand  the  lan 
guage  in  which  the  services  are  conducted.  Their 
children  are  then  sent  to  the  American  Sunday 
School,  and  parents  seem  well  pleased  to  have  them 
bring  home  and  read  the  English  literature  given 
them. 

When  the  time  comes  for  catechetical  instruction 
and  confirmation,  at  about  the  age  of  12,  the  children 
are  sent  to  relatives  or  friends  living  in  reach  of  a 
Magyar  church  for  instruction  during  a  period  of 
from  six  to  eight  weeks,  so  that  children  and  parents 
may  belong  to  the  same  church. 

(c)    EXTRA-CHURCH    MOVEMENT 

t  From  what  has  been  said  on  the  relation  of  re 
ligions  and  denominations  toward  each  other,  we 
may  infer  that  the  Magyar  is  not  much  impressed 
by  the  extra-church  religious  movements.  They 


120  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

believe  in  the  benefits  of  Social  Settlement  work; 
they  appreciate  the  endeavors  of  the  Y.M.C.A.  and 
the  Y.W.C.A,  but  they  say  these  are  not  as  distinct 
ively  religious  as  they  should  be  and  cannot  take 
the  place  of  the  church. 

We  hope  they  will  see  things  in  better  light,  but 
at  present  the  Magyar  churches  seek  to  have  these 
activities  carried  on  by  themselves,  though  they  are 
not  at  all  adequately  equipped  for  the  purpose. 
Many  of  the  young  men  join  the  Y.M.C.A.  for  its 
social  and  educational  advantages,  ^  but  still  hold 
their  parental  notions  about  its  religious  efficacy. 

Wherever  possible  Magyar  Protestant  congrega 
tions  encourage  Y.P.S.C.E.  societies  in  connection 
with  the  congregation,  but  these  are  not  affiliated 
with  the  Y.P.S.C.E.  itself.  The  work  done  is  in 
some  respects  the  same.  The  devotional  meetings 
are  led  by  the  young  people,  though  the  pastor  is 
usually  present  to  direct  and  encourage  them.  Sev 
eral  examples  will  illustrate. 

The  Magyar  Reformed  Church,  of  Toledo,  0.,  is 
fortunate  in  having  a  well-adapted  school  building, 
which  has  a  special  room  for  the  young  people's 
work.  An  evening  spent  with  these  people  is  not 
only  interesting,  but  edifying,  because  of  its  earnest 
ness  and  devotion.  The  pastor  is  organist  and  ad 
dresses  the  young  people  only  when  invited  to  do  so. 
The  Sunday  evening  service  consists  of  singing, 
Bible  reading,  and  prayer,  all  conducted  by  the 
young  people.  After  the  devotional  hour  there  is 
a  period  for  business,  and  planning  work  among 
young  people  during  the  week,  etc.  On  the  evening 
the  writer  was  present,  plans  were  made  for  the 
organization  of  an  orchestra.  Eight  young  people 
volunteered  and  asked  the  pastor  to  be  the  teacher 
and  leader.  The  purpose  was  to  furnish  better 
music  for  the  Sunday  evening  service  and  also  to 
afford  weekly  evening  recreation  and  pleasure. 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  121 

A  similar  society  exists  in  connection  with  the 
Magyar  Keformed  Church  in  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
with  this  modification :  the  pastor  is  not  present, 
though  he  keeps  informed  about  the  conuuet  and 
business  of  the  society.  This  society  has  more  of 
the  entertainment  features  of  the  Y.M.C.A.  and  is 
gathering  funds  to  purchase  a  building  separate 
from  the  church  property  for  their  weekly  evening 
work.  A  Magyar  Young  People's  Society,  in  con 
nection  with  the  Magyar  congregation  in  Dayton, 
0.,  has  such  a  building,  but  the  result  is  not  alto 
gether  desirable,  as  the  management  is  more  diffi 
cult.  The  entertainment  idea  threatens  to  assume 
undue  proportions.  An  effort  is  being  made  to  se 
cure  the  aid  of  the  Y.M.C.A.  secretary  of  the  city 
to  instruct  and  guide  these  young  people.  Some  of 
the  Presbyterian  Magyar  congregations  have  sim 
ilar  organizations  of  which  the  pastors  speak  very 
well.  The  great  Hungarian  Magyar  Church  of  De 
troit,  one  of  the  largest  in  America,  is  said  to  have 
an  excellent  Young-  People's  Society,  in  connection 
with  the  congregation,  occupying  for  its  work  the 
Congregational  House.  The  entire  movement  is 
very  promising  and  needs  encouragement.  This  en 
couragement  is  not  given  by  the  American  congre 
gations  as  larsrelv  as  it  should  be,  but  in  some  in 
stances,  as  at  Homestead,  Pa.,  the  Y.P.S.  of  the 
Magyar  congregation  frequently  secures  free  of 
charge  the  use  of  the  Carnegie  Library  auditorium 
for  some  public  entertainment.  The  American 
churches  can  render  effective  service  in  this  work 
by  attending  the  meetings  whenever  possible  and 
especially  by  showing  appreciation  of  the  entertain 
ments  which  these  societies  occasionally  give.  At 
tendance  is  increasing  and  it  is  encouraging  to  the 
societies. 

Extra-church  religious  movements. — A  glance  at 
religious  conditions  in  the  homeland  during  the  last 


122  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

thirty  years  will  explain  why  Magyars  in  America 
are  backward  in  extra-church  organizations.  Dur 
ing  the  time  of  the  early  revival  services  of  Dwight 
L.  Moody  and  men  of  his  type  in  England  and  Scot 
land,  there  were  a  number  of  Magyar  students  in 
the  Protestant  seminaries  there.  They  were  pious 
young  men  who  were  deeply  impressed  with  the  de- 
voutness  as  well  as  the  zeal  of  these  evangelists  and 
imbibed  their  spirit  and  their  methods  of  work. 
When  these  young  men  returned  home  to  the  stereo 
typed  forms  and  activities  of  the  churches,  they  en 
deavored  to  awaken  the  people  to  a  more  effective 
religious  life,  and  by  their  efforts  they  came  into 
conflict  with  the  authorities  of  the  church,  who  dis 
couraged,  hindered  and  in  some  instances  persecuted 
them.  The  consequence  was  that  they  were  looked 
upon  by  the  common  people  as  fanatics  who  wished 
to  introduce  a  new  religion.  The  Church  of  Hun 
gary  remained  practically  the  same  till  quite  re 
cently,  when  these  same  young  men  grown  older, 
and  reenf  orced  by  other  men  who  studied  abroad,  are 
now  looked  upon  as  the  leaders  of  a  new  era  in  the 
religious  life  of  Hungary. 

Wide-awake  Magyar  ministers  in  America  say  the 
time  has  come  when  the  Y.M.C.A.  and  the  Y.W. 
C.A.  and  the  Salvation  Army  will  receive  a  welcome 
in  Hungary. 

Here  in  America  the  older  members  of  the 
churches  look  with  disfavor  on  all  such  movements 
and  look  to  the  churches  to  hold  and  guide  the  young 
people.  The  young  people,  however,  are  taking  an 
increasing  interest  in  all  the  above-named  organi 
zations,  but  they  value  them  more  for  their  educa 
tional  and  recreational  features  than  for  their 
religious  work.  Even  the  younger  people  say: 
"The  church  for  religion;  these  institutions  for 
other  purposes.'* 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  123 

(D)    PRESSING  NEED  FOE  MAGYAR  MISSION  LITERATURE 

Literature  needed. — A  great  and  pressing  need  is 
a  constructive  church  literature,  both  periodical  and 
occasional.  So  far  as  the  writer  knows,  there  is 
only  one  church  paper  published  in  this  country 
under  the  supervision  and  financial  support  of  any 
church.  Other  papers  publish  church  news,  but 
they  are  owned  and  edited  by  individuals  and  serve 
without  sanction  from  the  churches  whose  news  they 
print.  They  are  sometimes  the  official  organs  of 
some  Federation  of  Magyar  Benevolent  Associa 
tions  but  not  subject  to  any  suggestions  from  any 
church  authority.  They  are  usually  well  edited,  but 
like  all  the  Hungarian  papers  in  America  without 
exception,  they  are  somewhat  given  to  controversies 
not  advisable  to  appear  in  church  papers.  The  only 
church  paper,  above  referred  to,  is  the  Reforma- 
tusok  Lapja,  published  jointly  by  the  Presbyterian 
and  Reformed  Church  Sunday  school  and  Publica 
tion  Boards.  Even  this  has  not  been  free  frpnji| 
harmful  controversies.  The  ideal  Hungarian1 
church  paper  should  be  worthy  of  the  patronage  and 
support  of  Protestant  Magyars  of  any  American 
Protestant  denomination.  With  all  churches  con 
tributing  to  its  support,  it  could  be  made  to  serve 
the  real  religious  interests  of  all  the  Magyar  people. 

There  is  also  a  need  for  Magyar  Sunday  school 
literature.  There  should  be  prepared  lesson  stories 
for  the  little  folks  who  cannot  speak  English  nor 
yet  read  Magyar,  but  who  are  dependent  on  their 
mothers  and  Sunday  school  teachers  for  their  in 
struction.  The  parent  also  needs  helps  and  com 
ments  on  the  Sunday  school  lessons  in  their  mother 
tongue  to  encourage  them  to  come  to  Sunday  school 
and  profit  by  its  instruction. 

There  have  been  published  in  English  within  re- 


124  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

cent  years  so  many  good  books  for  devotional  and 
inspirational  use  that  some  of  them  should  be  trans 
lated  into  Magyar  for  the  benefit  of  the  older  people 
who  either  cannot  or  will  not  learn  our  language. 

Parochial  papers. — Parochial  papers  are  not  to  be 
encouraged.  Not  every  pastor  has  the  talent  of  an 
editor;  not  every  pastor  can  be  disinterested  and 
fair  in  the  articles  he  publishes.  Too  often  he  pub 
lishes  such  news  and  such  opinions  as  he  would  not 
treat  either  in  public  discourse  or  in  personal  con 
ference.  It  is  sometimes  said  by  complaining  par 
ishioners  that  the  minister  "uses  his  paper  as  a 
club  over  them."  The  club  may  be  necessary,  but 
its  use  in  the  paper  usually  works  harm  to  the  min 
ister  and  his  work,  as  well  as  wrong  to  the  parish 
ioners. 

Tracts. — There  has  been  great  need  for  more 
tracts  adapted  to  the  Magyar  people.  The  several 
Mission  Boards  are  making  commendable  progress 
in  providing  tracts  of  this  kind,  but  they  have  some 
times  acted  without  conference  with  the  Magyar 
ministers  who  know  best  what  is  needed.  These 
ministers  say  that  emotional  appeals  in  tracts  are 
not  effective;  that  it  were  better  to  make  an  intel 
lectual  appeal.  They  urge  that  the  tracts  be  of  a 
more  concrete  character,  e.g.,  instead  of  a  tract 
warning  the  reader  against  some  specified  sin,  let 
the  tract  set  forth  the  working  out  of  the  sin  in  the 
life  of  some  person.  Let  the  Christian  virtues  also 
be  taught  by  tracts  setting  forth  the  fruits  of  their 
adoption  and  nurture  in  life. 

The  ministers  who  are  familiar  with  our  newer 
religious  literature,  enjoy  it  very  much  and  wish 
that  much  of  it  might  be  translated  into  Magyar 
for  the  use  of  their  people  either  in  whole  or  in  part. 
They  have  mentioned  some  of  Henry  Drummond's 
addresses;  Dr.  Fosdick's  books  on  Faith  and 
Prayer,  etc.,  etc. 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  l-2:> 

(E)   PARISH  EVANGELISM 

Turning  now  to  the  brighter  side  of  our  subject, 
we  see  many  signs  of  progress  and  of  hope  for  the 
work  of  the  Lord  among  the  Magyar  people  in 
America.  We  mention  first  parish  evangelism. 
We  use  the  adjective  advisedly,  because  for  a  long 
time  the  ministers  and  people,  too,  looked  askance 
upon  the  great  evangelistic  campaigns  that  have  for 
years  swept  our  country.  In  the  homeland  all  chil 
dren  were  baptized  in  infancy  and  the  parents  were 
instructed  and  expected  to  bring  up  their  children 
"in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord."  To 
their  credit,  they  did  it,  and  have  been  doing  it  as 
circumstances  permitted  in  this  country.  At  home 
all  persons  were  by  the  law  of  the  land  required  to 
be  members  of  some  church,  and  so  there  were  sup 
posed  to  be  no  unevangelized  people.  Now,  what 
ever  may  be  said  of  the  homeland,  conditions  here 
were  sadly  unsatisfactory.  Something  must  be 
done  to  bring  up  children  which  was  not  being  done 
and  to  keep  alive  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  in  the  mem 
bers  of  the  church  as  well  as  to  bring  back  from  the 
world  those  who  had  lapsed  from  the  faith.  The 
questions  were  what  is  to  be  done  after  Confirma 
tion?  What  of  the  conditions  which  draw  young 
men  and  women  away  from  the  church  and  from  the 
Lord?  If  the  lapses  and  losses  of  our  American 
churches  are  large  and  distressing,  the  losses  in 
Magyar  churches  are  alarming.  This  is  quite  ap 
parent  to  the  Magyar  ministers.  The  people  must 
be  awakened,  the  young  must  be  made  to  work  for 
the  Lord,  the  lapsed  must  be  won  back.  How  can  it 
be  done? 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  Protestant  ministers,  ir 
respective  of  denominational  affiliation,  is  as  fol 
lows:  The  entire  country  has  been  districted  and 
formed  into  groups  of  congregations  in  which  the 


126  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

pastors  will  join  in  holding  evangelistic  campaigns. 
The  season  selected  is  from  New  Year  to  Easter. 
The  ministers  meet  in  conference  to  arrange  the 
program. 

The  pastor  describes  conditions  in  his  parish  re 
quiring  evangelistic  endeavor.  He  designates  spe 
cial  needs  in  his  own  congregation.  The  brethren 
together  map  out  a  series  of  subjects  to  be  treated 
and  designate  the  speakers  best  suited  to  the  sub 
jects.  The  time  of  the  campaign  is  arranged  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  pastor  and  the  meetings  will  con 
tinue  for  several  days.  They  begin  with  an  evening 
service  with  two  short  sermons  or  addresses,  and 
an  explanation  of  the  purpose.  The  next  morning 
will  be  spent  by  the  ministers  in  conference  with 
each  other  and  possibly  in  getting  from  the  pastor 
a  list  of  names  of  persons  who  should  be  visited. 
The  afternoon  will  be  given  to  two  more  addresses 
and  the  privilege  of  persons  present  to  ask  questions 
or  make  profession  of  faith  or  of  repentance.  The 
ministers  who  are  not  needed  for  the  afternoon 
meeting  will  go  two  and  two  to  visit  persons  need 
ing  personal  appeal.  The  evening  again  will  in 
clude  two  sermons  and  the  answering  of  questions. 
Such  meetings  proved  very  effective  and  helpful 
during  1921,  and  indications  are  for  more  effective 
work  this  year. 

A  promising  indirect  result  has  been  the  effect 
on  the  ministers  themselves.  The  brother  who  was 
weak  in  any  part  of  his  work  is  strengthened.  The 
minister  who  did  not  reach  his  people  with  his  ser 
mons  follows  the  example  of  his  more  successful 
brother.  The  sermons  of  all  of  them  are  having  a 
more  distinctly  evangelistic  note  since  the  meetings, 
and  every  man  feels  that  he  does  not  stand  alone 
but  has  the  backing  of  brethren  of  like  talents  and 
confronting  the  same  problems. 

Wherever  such  meetings  have  been  held  the  peo- 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  127 

pie  have  been  awakened  and  attend  more  faithfully 
to  their  religious  duties.  As  a  plain  workman  said : 
"I  have  learned  to  speak  for  the  Lord  to  the  man 
who  works  next  to  me." 

(F)   RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION 

Magyar  ministers  and  people  alike  have  always 
emphasized  religious  education.  Pastors  always 
give  thorough  and  faithful  instruction  in  the  doc 
trines  and  duties  of  their  religion  to  the  children 
being  prepared  for  profession  of  faith  and  confirm 
ation.  In  this  the  parents  have  cooperated  with 
heart  and  soul.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  parents 
living  at  a  distance  from  the  church  to  send  their 
children  to  board  with  relatives  or  friends  for  a 
period  of  from  six  to  eight  weeks  while  under  the 
minister's  instruction.  On  confirmation  day  the 
children  are  examined  before  the  assembled  congre 
gation.  By  the  way,  it  happens  in  recent  years  that 
some  of  them  must  be  examined  in  English  because 
they  no  longer  know  the  Magyar  language. 

Good  and  necessary  as  this  is,  it  has  been  found 
that  it  is  not  enough.  It  was  disproportionately  in 
tellectual  and  formal.  Since  the  evangelistic  note  is 
being  sounded,  the  educational  work,  too,  is  widen 
ing  out.  More  emphasis  is  being  placed  on  per 
sonal  consecration  and  on  life  service  for  the  Mas 
ter.  Sunday  schools  feel  the  impulse.  The  subject- 
matter  of  instruction  is  enlarged  and  the  young  are 
encouraged  to  take  part  in  the  activities  of  the 
church. 

Young  People's  Societies  are  now  organized  in 
most  of  the  Magyar  churches  in  America,  and  in 
some  instances  they  are  given  either  a  room  in  the 
church  as  their  own  or  they  are  provided  with  a 
building  of  their  own  and  are  encouraged  to  hold 
there  not  only  their  Sunday  devotional  meetings 


128  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

but  to  meet  there  during  the  week  for  social  and 
educational  purposes. 

Young  Magyars  have  more  than  the  average  love 
for  music  and  theatricals.  They  will  have  them 
either  in  the  club  or  theater  or  in  their  own  rooms 
or  buildings.  The  pastors  who  are  awake  to  their 
opportunity  select  the  plays  and  help  make  the  pro 
grams,  and  encourage  the  giving  of  their  "plays" 
in  the  school-room  of  the  church. 

Daily  Vacation  Bible  Schools. — Such  schools  are 
not  an  innovation  among  the  Magyar  churches.  All 
the  congregations  in  America  have  had  them  for 
years.  When  the  representatives  of  the  Church  of 
Hungary  entered  into  negotiations  for  the  transfer 
of  their  congregations  to  American  churches,  an  in 
sistent  condition  was  that  they  might  be  continued. 
Now  whilst  the  primary  motive  may  have  been  the 
perpetuation  of  the  Hungarian  language,  these 
schools  afford  excellent  opportunity  for  religious  in 
struction  and  are  so  much  appreciated  by  the  par 
ents  that  they  willingly  help  to  support  them  finan 
cially.  One  of  these  schools  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  is 
federated  with  twelve  or  more  such  schools  in  the 
city.  It  is  the  testimony  of  the  superintendent  of 
the  Federation  that  a  year  ago  it  was  not  only  the 
largest  in  the  city  but  also  the  best.  It  is  only  an 
example  of  others  that  are  or  can  be  made  as  good. 

Training  workers. — Magyar  ministers  and  people 
alike  have  always  insisted  that  preachers  and  teach 
ers  and  religious  workers  must  be  thoroughly 
trained.  They  have  now  found  that  the  best  work 
ers  are  those  who  got  their  general  literary  training 
in  the  homeland  but  who  got  their  special  training 
for  their  work  in  America  in  our  American  schools. 
There  is  therefore  a  growing  demand  for  such 
American- trained  ministers  and  teachers.  In  an 
swer  to  their  appeals,  the  Presbyterian  Church  has 
placed  a  Magyar  professor  in  the  Seminary  in 


"'*«!•-'•  "'yi    irTrtSi'  %  *         t£\*  afc   *  2* 


CONGREGATION    AT  SERVICE 

First  Magyar  Presbyterian  Church,  llbth  St.  New  York  City 


CONFIRMATION   CL,.<VSS,  REFORMED  CHURCH,   WEST  SIDE, 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  129 

Bloomfield  and  another  in  their  college  in  Dubuque, 
Iowa.  The  Reformed  Church,  upon  the  urgent  re 
quest  of  both  the  Church  at  home  and  the  congrega 
tions  here,  will  do  the  same  as  early  as  arrange 
ments  to  that  effect  can  be  made.  Quite  a  number 
of  Magyar  young  men  are  now  in  these  schools  and 
in  other  institutions  of  higher  education.  Quite  re 
cently  requests  have  come  to  the  Reformed  and 
Presbyterian  Churches  to  receive  into  their  Theo 
logical  Seminaries  a  number  of  theological  students 
from  the  Seminaries  of  Hungary  to  spend  the  last 
two  years  of  their  course  in  America  and  then 
return  to  Hungary  for  service  in  the  Reformed 
Church  there. 

Curriculum  for  Bible  School. — Reference  has  been 
made  to  the  prominence  of  the  Magyar  spirit  in 
Vacation  Bible  school  work.  This  cannot  be  pre 
vented,  because  it  is  entirely  voluntary  to  parents 
whether  they  shall  send  their  children  or  not.  What 
is  therefore  needed  is  a  carefully  prepared  course 
of  study  for  such  schools,  so  that  religious  education 
shall  be  the  first  and  dominant  purpose.  Consid 
erable  attention  is  being  given  to  this  matter  by 
the  educational  secretaries  of  our  Sunday  school 
Boards,  but  the  danger  is  that  the  advice  and  help 
of  successful  Magyar  ministers  and  teachers  has  not 
been  sought.  A  suggestion  suffices. 

Teacher  training  classes. — There  should  be  in 
every  Magyar  church  or  Sunday  school  a  class  in 
teacher  training.  No  special  Magyar  literature  is 
needed  for  this  work,  but  consecrated  and  efficient 
young  American  men  and  women  should  be  encour 
aged  to  do  this  work  voluntarily  and  without  com 
pensation.  This  is  an  entirely  new  line  of  work  to 
the  Magyar  people  and  their  pastors  have  their 
hands  too  full  of  other  work  to  do  this  also.  What 
applies  to  teacher  training  classes  applies  equally 
to  mission  study  classes. 


130  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Y.  P.  S.  C.  E. — Young  people's  societies  need  the 
sympathy  and  encouragement  of  their  American 
friends  of  similar  societies.  Frequent  visits  to  their 
meetings  by  individuals  or  committees  of  American 
societies  would  be  welcome  and  appreciated,  and 
the  visit  would  not  be  lacking  in  interest. 

Closer  fellowship. — Another  need  to  mention  is  of 
a  similar  character :  closer  fellowship  with  the  Mag 
yar  people  and  especially  with  their  churches  by  the 
people  of  American  churches.  A  fine  beginning  of 
this  has  been  made  in  Lorain,  Ohio,  and  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  where  there  are  occasional  union  services, 
such  as  anniversaries,  national  holidays,  etc. 

At  each  of  those  places  successful  and  mutually 
helpful  meetings  have  been  held.  At  Lorain,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  tenth  anniversary,  the  Presbyterian 
minister  and  his  people  attended  the  Magyar  serv 
ice  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  Magyar  people  and  a 
minister  went  to  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the 
evening  and  afterward  joined  in  an  anniversary 
banquet  in  the  school-room  of  the  Magyar  church. 

The  occasion  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  was  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary,  in  the  services  of  which 
the  Presbyterian  minister  and  the  choir  of  his  church 
took  part  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  Congregational 
minister  and  the  choir  of  his  church  took  part  in 
the  evening. 

Summer  mission  conferences. — It  would  not  be  ad 
visable  nor  possible  to  hold  such  conferences  for  the 
Magyar  young  people.  These  should,  however,  be 
urged  to  attend  the  conferences  being  held  within 
reach  of  them.  They  should  be  encouraged  to  do  so 
by  taking  some  part  on  the  program.  Nothing 
would  please  them  more,  little  would  be  so  helpful 
to  immigrant  mission  work  in  America  as  to  have 
them  give  a  pageant  of  some  phase  of  life  in  Hun 
gary. 

The  outlook  for  the  future. — Finally,  what  of  the 


SPECIAL  PROBLEMS  131 

outlook?  It  is  hopeful  and  encouraging.  We  need 
only  remember  that  the  Magyars  are  an  intelligent, 
high-strung  people  and  expect  to  meet  us  on  the 
level  and  have  us  meet  them  in  the  same  way.  The 
indications  are  that  from  now  on  the  Magyar  mis 
sion  work  of  all  churches  in  America  will  be  more 
effective  because  we  all  understand  the  Magyar  peo 
ple  better  and  they  trust  us  more  fully. 


APPENDICES 

AND 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Appendix  I 

AMERICANIZATION    AS    THE    FOREIGNER 
THINKS  OF  IT 

(By  Rev.  Arpad  Bakay,  Akron,  Ohio) 

The  average  foreigner  is  struck  with  alarming 
surprise  by  the  nation-wide  Americanization  move 
ment  urged  upon  him.  He  does  not  understand  its 
intent.  He  regards  with  distrust  its  pressure  from 
all  quarters  hitherto  unfelt  and  unheard  of  by  him. 

In  the  past  very  little  if  anything  was  said  to 
him  concerning  Americanization  or  about  acquiring 
the  language  of  the  nation,  or  of  changing  his  for 
eign  customs  and  life  ideals.  Consequently  he  has 
been  satisfied  to  work  here  for  wages  he  could  never 
hope  to  earn  in  his  own  country,  and  has  been  con 
tent  to  continue  living  in  his  old  European  ways. 

Now,  that  a  new  interest  is  brought  to  bear  upon 
him,  he  is  naturally  disinclined  and  indifferent  to  it. 
In  most  instances  it  is  only  his  desire  to  hold  down 
his  job  and  to  retain  the  favor  of  his  employers 
that  he  is  obliged  to  "take  in"  some  Americaniza 
tion. 

While  such,  in  general,  is  the  attitude  of  the  for 
eigner  toward  the  great  Americanization  campaign, 
there  are  wide  differences  in  their  feelings  and 
opinions.  In  conversation  with  many  of  them  you 
will  find  this  expression:  "I  wish  I  had  had  such 
an  opportunity  to  learn  the  English  language  eight 
or  ten  years  ago;  I  would  be  in  better  position  to 
day;  but  now  I  am  too  old  to  learn  it."  Others  will 
say:  "It  is  too  late,  I  am  going  home."  You  will 

135 


136  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

find  these  the  strongest  excuses  of  the  objectors  for 
their  lack  of  interest. 

Perhaps  about  46  per  cent  of  the  foreign  popula 
tion  are  drawn  back  to  Europe  by  family  ties ;  they 
have  been  severed  from  their  loved  ones  during  the 
fearful  world  war  so  that  not  even  communication 
could  be  had  with  them.  These  conditions  have 
created  in  them  an  intense  longing  to  see  their  loved 
ones  again.  So  deep  is  their  anxiety  to  know  the 
fate  of  those  they  left  behind  that  their  minds  are 
fixed  on  one  thing — to  go  home  and  see  for  them 
selves.  However,  as  to  whether  all  these  will  re 
turn  to  their  country  or  will  try  to  have  their  fami 
lies  join  them  here  is  yet  a  question  that  will  be 
determined  by  the  opportunities  offered  them  in 
their  own  country  to  make  a  living  and  a  fortune 
for  themselves  and  their  children.  Thus  the  place 
of  their  settlement  is  largely  influenced  by  the  eco 
nomic  advantages  rather  than  by  national  feelings. 

With  many  of  them  the  study  required  for  Amer 
icanization  is  a  case  in  which  the  spirit  is  willing 
but  the  flesh  is  weak.  After  a  day  of  hard  physical 
labor  it  is  indeed  an  expression  of  strong  effort  and 
ambition  for  a  man  to  devote  an  hour  or  two  to  ac 
quiring  the  English  language,  for  when  the  body  is 
worn  out  and  the  longing  for  food  and  rest  is  upper 
most  the  mind  is  least  receptive.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  impressive  scenes  to  watch  a  class  of  men  and 
women  anywhere  from  the  age  of  twenty  to  fifty 
and  over,  some  totally  illiterate,  others  totally  ig 
norant  of  the  language,  and  yet  patiently  trying  to 
learn  to  read,  write  and  talk  English.  To  be  a 
teacher  of  such  a  class  is  worthy  one's  best  efforts. 

The  appreciation  and  development  shown  by  those 
who  respond  to  the  appeal  of  Americanization 
richly  pay  any  effort  and  sacrifice  we  may  put  forth 
in  their  behalf.  Now  that  the  very  air  is  charged 
with  Americanism,  Americanization  is  the  task  of 


APPENDIX  I  137 

the  hour.  Let  us  go  at  it  in  the  spirit  of  kindness 
and  Christian  fellowship.  When  the  foreigners  are 
given  to  understand  that  while  in  America  they 
must  live  as  Americans,  it  will  become  evident  who 
are  friendly  aliens  and  who  are  alien  enemies  and 
as  such  undesirables.  Their  favorable  response  to 
our  friendly  appeal  or  their  resentment  of  it  will  be 
positive  proof  of  their  willingness  to  become  one 
with  us  or  one  against  us.  By  our  sympathetic  ap 
proach  we  can  persuade  them  even  at  this  late  hour 
that  Americanization  is  for  their  good  as  well  as 
for  the  good  of  this  nation. 


Appendix  II 

LIST  OF  MAGYAR  PUBLICATIONS  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES 

MAGYAR  PERIODICALS — SECULAR 

Akroni  Hirlap,  Weekly,  non-political,  A.  TARNOCY, 
Editor,  Akron,  Ohio. 

A  Het,  Weekly,  Evans  St.,  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Amerikai  Magyar  Nepszava,  Daily,  Ind.,  GEZA  D. 
BERKO,  Editor,  178  2nd  Ave.,  New  York  City, 
N.  Y. 

Amerikai  Magyar  Hirlap,  Weekly,  Nationalist, 
EARNEST  N.  NEMENYI,  Editor,  239  E.  Front  St., 
Youngstown,  0. 

A  Het,  Weekly,  Louis  TARCAI,  Editor,  8802  Buckeye 
Road,  Cleveland,  0. 

Amerikai  Magyarsag  (American  Hungarian),  Semi- 
weekly,  LORAND  SIMAY,  Editor,  1285  2nd  Ave., 
New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

America,  Weekly,  L.  POLYA,  Editor,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

A  Munka  (Day's  Work),  Monthly,  GEORGE  KEMENY, 
Editor,  202  Empire  Bldg.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Amerikai  Magyar  Kerteszlap,  N.  ERDIJHELYI,  Edi 
tor,  Hammond,  La. 

A  Felszabadwlas,  Weekly,  I.W.W.,  Chicago,  111. 

American  Magyar  and  Hungarian  Daily,  8926  Buck 
eye  Road,  Cleveland,  0. 

A  Bermun'kas  (The  Wage  Worker),  Semi-monthly, 
I.W.W.,  NEWMAN  ANDER,  Editor,  350  East  81st 
St.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

Berko  Kepes  Ujsa&ga  (Illustrated  News),  BERKO  D. 
GEZA,  Editor,  178  2nd  Ave.,  New  York  City, 
N.  Y. 

138 


APPENDIX  II  139 

Buffalo  Hirlap,  Weekly,  MICHAEL  KOSZTIN,  Editor, 

1978  Niagara  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Bukfenc  (Topsy  Turvy),  Semi-monthly,  ARPAD  TAR- 

NOCY,  Editor,   Hippodrome  Annex,   Cleveland, 

O.     (Humor.) 
California  Magyar  (Agriculture),  IGALY  S.  ZNETO- 

GAR,  Editor,  2719  Magnolia  St.,  Oakland,  Cal. 
Dongo,   Semi-monthly    (Humor),   GEORGE  KEMENY, 

Editor,  276  25th  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
Deutsche  Ungarischer  Bote,  Weekly,  Ind.,  117  Find- 
ley  St.,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Ebreszto,  Semi-monthly,  Wallingford  Conn. 
Elore  Kapes  Folyoirat  (Socialist),  Daily,  Sunday 

and  Semi-monthly,  CH.  VARGA,  Editor,  5  E.  3rd 

St.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 
Fuggettenseq,  Ind.,  J.  H.  MOSNI,  Editor,  Martins 

Ferry,  O. 
Hirado,  Weekly,  M.  KOSTIN,  Editor,  1978  Niagara 

St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Hirado,  Weekly    (Rep.),  ERNEST  PORSOLT,  Editor, 

Johnstown,  Pa. 
Kepis  Tudosito,  PAUL  V.  NESSI,  Editor,  111  Howard 

St.,  Newark,  N.  J. 
Kepis   Vilaglap,    (Lit.   and   Comment)    New  York 

City,  N.  Y. 
Magyar  Banyaszlap  (Hungarian  Miners'  Journal), 

Weekly,  MARTIN  HIMLER,  Editor,  75  E.  10th  St., 

New  York  City,  N.  Y. 
Magyar  Hirado,  Semi-weekly,  Ind.,  B.  T.  TARKANYI, 

Editor,  4805  7th  Ave.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Magyar  Hirado ,  ALEX.  BERKOVITZ,  Editor,  Philadel 
phia,  Pa. 
Magyar  Hirlap,  Semi- weekly,  Ind.,  ALADAR  FONGO, 

Editor,  2227  W.  Jefferson  Ave.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
Magyar  Hirnok,  Weekly,  Ind.,  ADALBERT  NIKELSZKY, 

Editor,  62  Dennis  St.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 
Magyar  Kertesz   (Agriculture),  STEPHEN  BERCZIK, 


140  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Editor,  508  Stock  Exchange  Bldg.,  Los  Angeles, 
Cal. 

Magyar  Munkaslap,  Weekly,  Labor,  ERNEST  I.  MAN- 
DEL,  Editor,  621  Tribune  Bldg.,  New  York  City, 
N.  Y. 

Magyar  Tribune,  Weekly,  M.  BENEDEK,  Editor,  2207 
Clybourn  Ave.,  Chicago,  111. 

Magyar  Tudosito,  Weekly,  Ind.,  REV.  B.  BEETOK,  Ed 
itor,  Tudosito  Publishing  Co.,  South  Bend,  Tnd. 

Magyar  Ujsag  (Magyar  News),  JULIUS  SIPAS,  Edi 
tor,  15  West  End  Ave.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Magyar  Ujsag  (Magyar  News),  LAD  MATHE,  Editor, 
116  French  St.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

Magyarok  Vasarnapja,  Weekly,  8302  Buckeye  Road, 
Cleveland,  0. 

Magyar  Vilag  (Magyar  World),  Weekly,  Rep., 
STEPHEN  GYONGYOSY,  Editor,  431  Fourth  Ave., 
Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Newark  Hirado,  Weekly,  Ind.,  J.  SCHREINER,  Edi 
tor,  111  Howard  St.,  Newark,  N.  J. 

OttJion  (Sun),  Weekly,  ALEX  D.  DESSEWFFY,  Editor, 
139  N.  Clark  St.,  People's  Gas  Bldg.,  Chicago, 

Szabadsag,  Daily,  Ind.,  1803  2nd  Ave.,  Pittsburgh, 
Pa. 

Sportvilag  (Sports),  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

St.  Louis  es  Videke,  Weekly,  Rep.,  C.  KALDOR,  Edi 
tor,  2023  S.  Broadway,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Szabadsag  (Liberty),  Daily,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

Szabadsag  (Liberty),  Daily,  Ind.  Rep.,  ANDREW 
CHERNA,  Editor,  700  Huron  Road,  Cleveland,  0. 

Szabad  Sajto  (Free  Press),  Weekly,  Rep.,  COR 
NELIUS  CSONGRADI,  Editor,  188  Passaic  St.,  Pas- 
saic,  N.  J. 

Szovetseg,  Monthly  (Religious  and  Sick  Benefit), 
1418  State  St.,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Takarekos  Haziasszony   Ujsagja    (Home   Manage- 


APPENDIX  II  141 

ment),  Monthly,  2227  W.  Jefferson  St.,  Detroit, 

Mich. 
Testverizseg,  Weekly,  DR.  FOETAN  HARRASSTI,  Editor, 

579  Howard  Ave.,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 
Uj  Magyarorszag,  G.  BOGDAMY,  Editor,  239  Front 

St.,  Youngstown,  O. 
Varosi  Elet,  Ind.,  South  Bend,  Ind. 
Verliovayak  Lapja,  Weekly,  Ind.,  G.  GARAY,  Editor, 

612  Merkle  Bldg.,  Hazleton,  Pa. 
Videke  (Vicinity),  Weekly,  Ind.,  MICHAEL  M.  BARTA, 

Editor,  Lorain,  0. 


MAGYAR   PUBLICATIONS — RELIGIOUS 

Amerikai-Magyar-Reformatusok  Lapja   (Sentinel), 

Weekly,  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Church  in 

U.  S.,  EEV.  ALEX.  HARSANYI,  Editor,  1008  10th 

Ave.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Az  Idok  Jelei,  Quarterly,  Seventh  Day  Adventist, 

Brookfield,  111. 
Ebreszto,  Semi-monthly,  BELA  KOVACS,  Editor,  Wal- 

lingford,  Conn. 
Evangelium    Hirnoke     (The    Gospel    Messenger), 

Semi-monthly,  Hungarian  Baptist  Ass'n.,  OROSZ 

ISTVAN,  Editor,  8005  Holton  Ave.,  Cleveland,  0. 
Fuggettenseg   (Independence),  Weekly  Hungarian 

Church  of  Trenton,  ALEX.  ZAMBORY,  Editor,  719 

Hudson  St.,  Trenton,  N.  J. 
Harangszo,  Lutheran,  Bethlehem,  Pa. 
Magyar    EgyJiaz,    Weekly,    Hungarian    Eeformed 

Church  in  U.  S.,  EEV.  J.  MELEGH,  Editor,  138 

Eidit  St.,  McKeesport,  Pa. 
Magyar  Katholikus  Zaszlo,  Weekly,  St.  Stephen's 

Eoman  Catholic  Church,  EEV.  KALMAN  KOVATS, 

Editor,  Evans  Ave.  and  7th  St.,  McKeesport, 

Pa. 


142  THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Magyarok  Vasarnapja,  Weekly,  8302  Buckeye  Road, 
Cleveland,  0. 

Reformatus  Hirnok,  Monthly,  Hungarian  Reformed 
Church  in  America,  REV.  B.  KOVACS,  Editor, 
Wallingford,  Conn. 

Vallasos  Lap,  Weekly,  Baptist,  REV.  ANDREW  HAND 
LER,  Editor,  882  Hatch  St.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

Vedd  es  Olvasd  (Take  and  Read),  Semi-monthly, 
Northern  Baptist,  REV.  A.  TOTH,  Editor,  2343 
Williams  St.,  Trenton,  N.  J. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Hungary  of  the  Hungarians,  L.  KELLNEE,  ARNOLD  & 

DELISLE,  Scribners,  1914. 

Hungary  of  To-day,  P.  ALDEN,  Nash,  London,  1909. 
The  Magyars  of  Cleveland,  H.  F.  COOK,  Americani 
zation  Committee,  1919. 
Hungarians  in  the  American  Civil  War,  E.  PIVANY, 

Dongo  Year  Book,  1903. 
Modern  Austria — Races  and  Social  Problems,  V. 

GAYDA,  London,  1915. 
Racial  Problems  in  Hungary,  B.  W.  SETON-WATSON, 

London,  1909. 
The  Commentator,  A  Monthly,  Knights  of  Columbus 

Bldg.,  Youngstown,  0. 
Hungarian  Immigration,  E.  A.  STEINER,  "  Outlook" 

LXXIV,  1903. 
History  of  Hungarian  Literature,  EIEDL,  London, 

1906. 
Political  Evolution  of  the  Hungarian  Nation,  C.  M. 

K.  HUGESSON,  London. 
Palmerston    and    the    Hungarian    Revolution,    C. 

SPROXTON,  Cambridge  University  Press,   1919. 
Against  the  Current,  E.  A.   STEINER,   New   York, 

1912. 

St.  Peter's  Umbrella,  K.  MIKSZATH,  New  York. 
Hungarian  Catholics  in  America,  Vol.  7  of  Catholic 

Encyclopedia. 

The  Story  of  Hungary,  A.  VAMBERY. 
Hungary — DE  VARGHA,  DR.  JULIUS. 
Our  Slavic  Fellow  Citizens,  BALCH,  E.  G-.,  Charities 

Publishing  Co.,  New  York  City,  1910. 
Old  Homes  of  New  Americans,  CLARK,  F.  E.  (Chaps. 

IX  and  X),  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  1913. 

143 


THE  MAGYARS  IN  AMERICA 

Races  and  Immigrants  in  America,  J.  R.  COMMONS, 

1915. 

History  of  the  Hungarian  Revolution,  A.  VAMBEEY. 
Tales  and  Traditions  of  Hungary  (Folk  lore),  PREL- 

SZKY,  THERESA. 

Hungary,  YOLLAND,  A.  B.,  Jack,  London,  1917. 
Peasant   Art    in   Austria   and   Hungary,   HOLMES, 

CHAS.,  "The  Studio, "  London,  1911. 
Memories  of  My  Exile,  KOSSUTH,   Louis,  French, 

New  York  City. 
Hungary  a  Land  of  Shepherd  Kings,  Nat.  Geog. 

Mag.,  Oct.  1914. 
The  People  of  Hungary;  Their  Work  on  the  Land, 

WALLIS,  B.  C.,  Geog.  Rev.,  Dec.  1917. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Achievements,  notable,  23,  24.          Emigration  from  U.  S.,  26,  27. 
Agriculture,    28;    farm    housing,      Evangelism,  church,  45,  111 ;  par- 


33;   farm  laborers,  32;   farms, 

size  of,  81. 
Alfold,  14. 
Americanization,    68-70,  93,   104, 

135-137. 

Arpad,  13,  14,  17. 
Ausgleich,  28,  37. 

Bibliography,  143-44. 


Catechisation,  94. 
Children,  moral  training  of,  72. 
Christianization  of  Hungary,  14. 
Church  business  meetings,  90. 
Church  entertainments,  91. 
Church,  institutional,  111. 
Coloman,  King,  15. 
Crusades,  The,  16. 
Curators,  42,  43,  96. 


ish,  125-127;  street,  110. 
Extra  church  movements,  119; 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  44,  120,  121,  122; 
Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  44,  114,  116, 
120,  130;  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  44,  120, 
122. 

Farm  laborers,  32. 

Golden  bull,  16. 
Great  names,  15. 


Hapsburgs,   The,   18,   19,  23,  38, 

67. 

Honesty,  71. 
Housing     (in    Hungary)  ;    Farm 

Act,  33. 

Housing   (in  U.  S.),  61. 
Hungarian  National  Hymn,  46. 
Daily    Vacation    Bible    Schools,      Hungary :  buffer  state,  46 ;  Chris- 

128;  curriculum  for,  129. 
Deaconesses,  95,  118. 
Drinking,  71. 


tianization  of,  14. 
Hunyadi,  John,  15. 


Illiteracy,  35. 
Eastern  Orthodox  Church,  19,  20,      ^migrants :   distribution  of,  50- 

34,  35,  36,  37,  40,  62,  89. 
Economic  conditions  in  Hungary, 

28,    29;    social   effects    of,    60; 

government  aid,  28;  industrial 

insurance,        29 ;         industrial 

schools,     28;      postal     savings 

banks,    29;    economic   data    of 

immigrants,  29,  64,  65. 
Edict  of  Toleration,  19. 
Education,  34-36. 
Emigration,   cause   of,   economic. 


56;    migrations   in   U.   S.,   56; 
return,  56,  58. 

Industry:  government  aid,  28; 
industrial  insurance,  29;  in 
dustrial  schools,  28. 


11. 


31,  32,  33,  64;  political,  58; 
social  conditions  in  Hungarv, 
30. 


Jews;  literacy,  34,  35,  36;  Mag 
yars  in  U.  S.,  78;  schools,  34; 
toleration  to,  38;  trades  peo 
ple,  31. 


147 


Kossuth,  20,  21,  23. 


148 


INDEX 


Libraries,  34. 

Literature,  36,  123:  Magyar,  36; 
newspapers,  36,  76,  77;  list  of 
in  U.  S.,  138-142;  parochial, 
124;  pressing  need  for,  123; 
tracts,  124. 

Louis  I,  15. 

Magnates,  30. 

Magyars:  original,  13;  assimi 
lating  power,  22;  characteris 
tics,  21;  government,  16; 
notable  achievements,  23;  mi 
grations  in  U.  S.,  56,  109,  116; 
virile  race,  22. 

Magyar  Reformed  Churches  in 
U.  S.,  89:  church  business 
meetings,  90;  church  services, 
93;  deaconesses,  94;  entertain 
ments,  91;  pastors'  salaries, 
92. 

Ministers  of  kin :  trained  abroad, 
113;  trained  in  U.  S.,  113; 
trained  both  here  and  abroad, 
114;  American  men  trained 
abroad,  116. 

Museums,  34. 

Morals,  70;  regard  for  law,  72. 

Neighborhood  life,  65;  spirit,  66. 

Newspapers:  parochial,  124;  re 
ligious,  77,  141-142;  secular, 
77,  138-141. 

Nobles,  30. 

Old  country  church  methods  re 
tained  here,  91. 

Orphans,  care  of,  74. 

Organizations,  75;  effects  of  emi 
gration,  103. 

Pan  Qermanism,  19;  Pan  Slav 
ism,  20;  Pan  Magyarism,  20. 

Pastors:  home  visitations,  95; 
salaries,  92. 

Peasants,  30 ;  Beres,  30 ;  Betyars, 
30;  tenant  farmers,  31. 

Petofi,  Alex.,  36,  47. 

Political  situation,  25;  effect  on 
emigration,  26. 

Protestantism  in  Hungary,  81. 


Protestant  Magyar  Churches  in 
U.  S.:  Baptist,  78,  79,  80,  85- 
87;  Hungarian  Reformed,  79, 
106,  107,  110;  Lutheran,  80, 
81,  101;  Presbyterian  in  U.  S., 
80;  Presbyterian  in  U.  S.  A., 
79,  112,  124,  129,  130;  Protest 
ant  Episcopal,  80,  107;  Re 
formed  in  U.  S.,  78,  109,  112, 
124,  129;  Reformed  in  Amer 
ica,  88. 

Racial  agitation,  19;  Pan  Ger 
manism,  19;  Pan  Slavism,  20; 
Pan  Magyarism,  20. 

Reformation,   The,    18. 

Reformed  Church  in  Hungary, 
40-45,  80,  110;  its  organiza 
tion,  40. 

Religious  approach,  forms  of: 
church  evangelism,  111;  indi 
vidual  methods,  108;  institu 
tional  church,  111;  social  set 
tlement,  108;  street  evangel 
ism,  110. 

Religious  education,  127. 

Religious  conditions  in  Hungary, 
37,  40. 

Religious  conditions  in  America, 
78,  117,  118. 

Revolution  of  1848,  20. 

Roman  Catholic  Church,  14,  19, 
20,  38,  40,  41,  45,  62,  89. 

Salvation  Army,  122. 

Savings,  63;  postal  savings 
banks,  29. 

Schools  in  Hungary,  34;  indus 
trial,  28. 

Social  conditions  in  Hungary,  29. 

Society  in  Hungary,  30:  mag 
nates,  30;  nobles,  30;  peas 
ants,  30;  trades  people,  31; 
tenant  farmers,  34. 

Stephan,  first  King,  15. 

"Stola"  system,  90,  93. 

Street  evangelism,  110. 

Student  volunteers,  44. 

Teacher  training  classes,  129. 
Tenant  farmers,  31. 


INDEX  149 

Thrift,  63.  Wages:    in  Hungary,   31;    in   U. 

Traofq    124  S.,  62. 

Trades  people,  31.  World  War,  22,  26,   67,  97,  98, 

Turks,  The,  17,  18,  46.  104. 

Worship,  customs  in,  93. 

1:  ^^iViii'k 

130. 
Vacation  Bible  schools,  94,  113.        Y.  W.  C.  A.,  44,  120,  122. 


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